With Diwali just around the corner, food safety teams in Noida and Ghaziabad have intensified inspections to ensure the sweets and snacks reaching consumers are safe. According to The Times of India, more than 1,100 kg of adulterated sweets and hundreds of kilograms of contaminated ingredients were destroyed over the past few days as part of a pre-festival drive against food adulteration.
Contaminated Sweets, Oils And Ingredients Seized
In one of the major raids, officials from the Food Safety Department in Gautam Buddh Nagar destroyed over 1,100 kg of sweets that were found to be prepared in highly unhygienic conditions at a manufacturing unit in Sector 115, Noida. "The sweets, meant for sale in rural areas, were being made using substandard ingredients. Around 1,100 kg were destroyed on the spot," said Assistant Commissioner (Food) Sarvesh Mishra. Samples were also sent to the lab for testing to confirm the extent of adulteration.
At another site in Devla, Greater Noida, food safety teams disposed of around 145 kg of rasgullas stored in dirty containers and exposed to flies and mosquitoes. Officials also seized 80 kg of white powder - claimed to be arrowroot - for further testing. During the same inspection, 285 kg of mustard oil suspected to be adulterated was confiscated from a store in Sector 49, as the shopkeeper failed to produce valid purchase bills.
Noida Raids Extend To Namkeen And Dairy Units
The crackdown continued across other areas of Noida and Greater Noida. In Lakhnawali, Surajpur, around 38 kg of namkeen suspected to be unfit for consumption was seized, while samples of peda and other sweets were collected from nearby villages for lab analysis. Adulterated sweets and dairy products were also destroyed in Ladpura and Panwari, including 16 kg of contaminated khoya and 75 kg of rasgullas, respectively.
Mishra said the department was conducting "continuous inspections across the district to prevent adulteration and ensure that only clean and safe food reaches the public ahead of Diwali."
Ghaziabad Joins The Anti-Adulteration Drive
A similar campaign was launched in neighbouring Ghaziabad, where five food safety teams have been on the ground since October 8. Arvind Yadav, Assistant Commissioner (Food), Ghaziabad, told The Times of India that 14 samples of food items, including ghee, paneer, milk cake, mohan bhog, and sonpapdi, were collected from shops across the district.
During these raids, 113 kg of sonpapdi and 50 kg of fungus-infested almonds were destroyed. "Legal action will be taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, once test reports are received," Yadav added.
Continuous Monitoring Till Festive Season Ends
Food safety officers have assured that the drive will continue through the festive season. Regular inspections and sample collections are being carried out to ensure that consumers receive safe and hygienic products during Diwali celebrations.