AMC Inspects Gwalia Sweets and Other Sweet and Namkeen Units; Seals One

Ahmedabad: The Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Monday inspected 12 sweet and namkeen units and sealed one in Naroda after finding that it lacked proper arrangements for the storage and disposal of used cooking oil. Additionally, 1,000 kg of prepared namkeen, gram flour and refined flour were seized, the civic body said.

The action was taken as part of a special food safety inspection drive ahead of Diwali, when demand for sweets and savoury snacks increases. The AMC’s Food Safety Department collected 29 samples of sweets, namkeen and other traditional food products from establishments across the city for laboratory testing.

During the inspection of Jain Super Namkeen, located at Madhusudan Business Park in Naroda, officials found that the unit used approximately 125 kg of cooking oil daily but had neither arrangements to hand over used oil to an authorised agency nor the required records of its disposal. The unit was sealed under the applicable legal provisions, and a sample of used cooking oil was collected for testing. Further action will be taken after the laboratory report is received.

The department also collected samples of gram flour and used cooking oil from the unit. Officials said food businesses using more than 50 kg or litres of cooking oil daily must maintain records of oil consumption, the quantity of used oil generated and its disposal. Used cooking oil must be handed over to authorised collection agencies and must not be reused in food preparation or discharged into drains.

Under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations, used cooking oil containing more than 25% total polar compounds (TPC) is prohibited for human consumption. Repeated heating increases TPC levels, and oil exceeding the prescribed limit is considered unsuitable for food use. The TPC level in the sample collected from the Naroda unit will be determined after laboratory analysis.

As part of the Diwali food safety drive, the AMC collected 29 samples from various establishments, including Bhavnagri Sweet Mart, Krishna Sweet Mart, Shree Nagar Chavana & Sweet Mart, Gwaliya Sweets Pvt. Ltd., Amrut Mithai Junction, Hira Mishthan, Mateshwari Chavana Mart, Jay Shree Dairy Farm and Balaji Chavana & Sweet Mart, among other sweet and namkeen outlets across Ahmedabad. The samples included kaju katri, mohanthal, peda, kalakand, rasgulla, besan and used cooking oil, among other products. They have been sent to the Public Health Laboratory for analysis.

The civic body also cited findings from earlier inspections. A sample of “Snack Touchup” collected from M J F Food in Behrampura on October 15 was declared substandard and unsafe after laboratory testing detected synthetic colours, including Sunset Yellow, Ponceau 4R, Tartrazine Yellow and Carmoisine. The starch test, which should have returned a negative result, tested positive. The unit was sealed, and 2,000 kg of Snack Touchup, tomato powder and other raw materials were seized.

In another case, samples collected from I Shree Khodiyar Gruh Udyog in Gota on October 17 revealed quality deficiencies. A sample of “Snack Touchup” was declared unsafe after testing positive for starch. Samples of tomato paste and potato paste were declared substandard after failing to meet the specified quality parameters.

The AMC said it would continue inspections and take legal action against food businesses found violating food safety standards. It also urged sweet and snack manufacturers and sellers to maintain hygiene, ensure the quality of ingredients and cooking oil, and follow FSSAI guidelines for the safe disposal of used oil during the festive season. DeshGujarat