Continuing with the inspection spree with a special focus on checking the inflow of sub-standard khoya and paneer from the neighbouring States, the food safety teams in Punjab frisked the railway stations in the wee hours on Sunday.
“It was reported that sub-standard perishables were being flooded into the local markets from the neighbouring States through the inbound trains arriving early in the morning. Meetings were held with railway authorities and they were sensitized towards the issue. Thereafter, special teams were embarked upon to check the prominent railway stations,” said the state Food Safety Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu.
Pannu said that samples have been collected and forwarded to the State laboratory at Kharar.
“At places where no perishables were off-loaded today, the Railway Authorities were requested to inform the Food Safety Teams before releasing the milk products to the concerned so that the samples be taken for quality test, whenever they are off-loaded,” he said.
The railway authorities have promised support and agreed to share the information regarding arrival of perishables, said the Commissioner.
Pannu said that special nakas were also set up to check the entry of milk and milk products (MMP) by road from the neighbouring areas.
Besides, the inspection of milk establishments statewide was continued for the second day and 150 samples have been collected and sent for quality check, he said adding that the samples have been collected from the large dairy establishments as well as that from the milk vendors.
“Samples of desi ghee, paneer and khoya have also been taken and forwarded for checking. Sub-standard milk and cream infested with insects were also spotted during the raids and destroyed on the spot,” he said.
Pannu made it clear that the inspections will continue till the last drop of spurious milk and milk products be wiped off from the markets of Punjab.