Rajkot civic body seals 11 eateries, destroys 476 kg of stale food

Rajkot: The Food Department of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) carried out a major enforcement drive against food adulteration and unhygienic practices across the city, inspecting 64 food establishments and restaurants. During the drive, officials destroyed 476 kg of stale and inedible food on the spot after finding serious hygiene violations and unfit food items.

The civic body also issued show-cause notices to 29 establishments for violating hygiene, food storage and licensing norms, and collected administrative penalties amounting to Rs 75,500. As part of the action under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSAI), officials collected four food samples for laboratory analysis and sealed 11 establishments that were found to have serious violations.

Among the establishments sealed was House of Snacks near Silver Heights on Nanamava Road, where officials found unhygienic conditions in the kitchen, deep freezers and storage area. Around 40 kg of stale food was destroyed and a Rs 5,000 penalty was imposed before the premises were sealed.

At RB Food Product near Madhapar village, officials seized 90 kg of rotten cut papaya and banned synthetic food colours. The spoiled stock was destroyed and the unit was fined Rs 10,000. A sample of tomato sauce was also collected for laboratory testing.

Jai Ambe Live Wafers on Bhupendra Road was sealed after inspectors found food being prepared using reused cooking oil, foul-smelling surroundings, pest infestation and the use of prohibited printed plastic sheets. The establishment was fined Rs 3,000.

Officials also sealed Shri Jalaram Traders on the 150-Feet Ring Road after finding that it was processing and packing mamra and poha without a valid food licence and allegedly marketing the products under fake brand names. An administrative charge of Rs 10,000 was imposed.

During the drive, 18 kg of inedible food and reused cooking oil were destroyed at Sadhguru Farsan Namkeen & Sweet, while 27 kg of stale Manchurian and used cooking oil were seized from Patel Chinese Bhel on Mawdi Bypass Road, which was fined Rs 3,000. At India Restaurant on Gondal Road, officials destroyed 14 kg of stale non-vegetarian and Gujarati food and imposed a Rs 3,000 penalty.

Other actions included the destruction of 24 kg of expired pizza bases, buns and stale food at Shriji Food Zone, 26 kg of stale food and banned colours at Sonal Season Store and Chinese Punjabi, 23 kg of prohibited food colour at Shiv Shankar Restaurant, and 30 kg of sweet mawa at Mahadev Penda, from where a sample was also collected for laboratory analysis.

The enforcement team also took action against several other food businesses. At Thakorji Hotel and Restaurant, 75 kg of stale food was destroyed and a Rs 3,000 fine was imposed. Kandoi Harilal Devji & Sons was penalised after officials found 20 kg of burnt cooking oil and stale farsan, while Bachubhai Thabdiwala was fined for using prohibited printed plastic sheets. Expired bread was seized from Tha. Keshavlal Madhavji & Sons, and R.B. Sales and Kanaiya Hotel were penalised for operating without valid food licences.

Smaller quantities of stale food were also destroyed at several establishments, including Kailash Sweet Mart, Shriji Farsan & Khaman, Mahadev Momos & Chinese and Balaji Jumbo Vada Pav, while penalties were imposed on multiple other food outlets for violating food safety norms.

As part of the campaign, the Food Department also conducted a milk quality inspection drive. Milk samples were collected from Bajrang Dairy & Farsan for laboratory testing, while Shri Kailash Dairy Farm was fined Rs 1,000 for operating without a food licence. A mixed milk sample from the dairy was also sent for analysis.

Apart from the enforcement action, officials inspected 26 other food establishments, including Silver Bakery, Sankalp Siddh Pavbhaji and Mumbaiya Misal & Vadapau, and instructed them to maintain proper hygiene and comply with food safety regulations. DeshGujarat