AMC to use rapid testing kits to check food quality at Diwali sweet and farsan stalls

Ahmedabad: The Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will use rapid testing kits to conduct on-site preliminary checks of food items sold at temporary sweet and farsan stalls during the Diwali festive season, aiming to strengthen food safety monitoring and protect public health.

The initiative is intended to address delays in obtaining food sample test results, which currently take around six to seven days. By the time the reports arrive, many temporary stalls have already shut down, making timely action against substandard or unsafe food difficult.

Standing Committee Chairman Kamleshbhai Patel announced the measures during the committee’s weekly meeting on Thursday. He said instructions had been issued to make rapid testing kits available to conduct preliminary checks of the colours and oils used in food products sold at these stalls.

The civic body has also directed the procurement of advanced machinery to speed up the testing process. In addition, the Health Department has been instructed to recruit additional staff, if required, to improve the effectiveness of food quality inspections.

The measures aim to enable the faster identification of potentially unsafe food products and allow the civic body to take timely action during the festive rush.

DeshGujarat