Diwali Food Safety Drive: AMC Seals Two Units, Fines Four Outlets ₹40,000

Ahmedabad: The Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) sealed two food establishments in the city over food safety violations during its Diwali inspection drive. Bhajiya Pakoda in Naranpura was sealed after testing revealed a high level of Total Polar Compounds (TPC) in frying oil, while Bharat Food in Vatva was sealed after three sauce samples were declared non-conforming in laboratory analysis.

Furthermore, AMC’s Health and Food Department inspected 19 food establishments across the city and collected 23 food samples for laboratory analysis under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as part of efforts to ensure the availability of safe, hygienic and quality food during Diwali.

At Bhajiya Pakoda in Naranpura, testing of the oil used for frying food revealed a TPC level of 27.5. Citing public health concerns over the quality of frying oil, the department immediately sealed the establishment.

Bharat Food, located at Nilkanth Industrial Park in Vatva, was also sealed after three sauce samples collected earlier were declared non-conforming in food analyst reports. The department initiated legal proceedings against the unit under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

23 Food Samples Collected from 19 Establishments

The department collected samples of various sweets, savouries and other food products from establishments across Ahmedabad. These included milk halwa, besan, shakkarpara, milk cake, barfi, besan laddoo, kaju katli, Mysore pak, magas, kaju kalash, traditional sweets, mukhwas, dabeli, ghari, peda, topra pak, kesar katli, mohanthal, chivda, sweet mawa and dalmoth.

The establishments inspected included Mahalakshmi Dudh Ghar in Shahpur, Jain Namkeen Industries in Shahpur, Hira Misthan in Shahibaug, Lovelyam Sweets in Vejalpur, Shri Ramdev Dairy and Sweet Mart in Isanpur, Jai Hind Sweets in Maninagar, Shri Shiv Shakti Sweets in Ghatlodia, Krishna Sweets in Chandlodia, Gokul Dairy in Naroda GIDC, Harinarayan Dry Fruits and Mukhwas in Navrangpura, Lijjat Snacks in Navrangpura and Panjiri Mithai in Naranpura, among others.

The samples have been sent to laboratories for analysis. Further legal action will be initiated against the establishments based on the findings.

Four Establishments Fined ₹40,000

The AMC also checked whether sweet and snack outlets had made food testing kits available for customers to conduct preliminary quality checks themselves.

Four establishments were found without the required testing kits, following which a total municipal administrative charge of ₹40,000 was collected.

AMC said food safety inspections would continue across Ahmedabad during and after Diwali. Establishments found violating food safety and hygiene regulations could face notices, fines, closure orders and sealing under applicable legal provisions. DeshGujarat