Ahmedabad: Stepping up its action against food adulteration and poor hygiene practices, the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) collected penalties exceeding ₹5.1 lakh and disposed of 2,089 kg of unfit food during a special drive that concluded on June 15.

AMC officials said 409 food samples collected from different parts of the city were tested at the civic laboratory. Of these, 27 samples failed to meet quality standards. One sample of kalakhatta syrup was declared unsafe for consumption, following which the civic body initiated criminal proceedings against the concerned party. The remaining 26 samples were found to be substandard.

The testing covered a broad range of food products commonly sold across the city. These included 88 dairy items such as paneer, processed cheese and ghee; 54 spice samples including cloves and black pepper powder; 45 varieties of namkeen; 28 beverage samples such as sugarcane juice, mango milkshakes and watermelon juice; 18 sweet items; 18 grain-based products including besan and flour; 16 cold beverages like lassi, ice cream and sherbet; 12 edible oil samples; 11 bakery products; and 119 other food items.

Among the city’s zones, the West Zone reported the highest number of failed samples with 10 cases, including mango milkshakes, processed cheese, vegetable sauce and kiwi juice. The North Zone recorded seven failures involving manchurian, tutti frutti and flavoured drinks.

The South Zone accounted for four failed samples, including the unsafe kalakhatta syrup, butter and ragda. Three samples failed in the Central Zone, comprising mango milkshakes, cloves and black pepper powder. The North West Zone reported two failed ghee samples, while the East Zone recorded one failed sample of sweet chutney. DeshGujarat