Food dept raid yields 1.5 quintals of fake milk

Several teams from the Department of Food Safety have been launching special checking drives for some days ahead of Holi. The team seized 1.5 quintal of spurious condensed milk on Tuesday, said Dehradun Food Safety officer Anoj Kumar Thapliyal. He said that the team checked a vehicle carrying around 1.5 quintal of spurious condensed milk at Hanuman Chowk on Tuesday noon. The driver and the owner fled. The owner was, however, issued notice by the team. later, the seized stock was destroyed.

The team had also conducted checking at around eight confectioners in and around Hanuman Chowk area and they were issued notices after they were caught selling spurious condensed milk. Around 50 kg spurious condensed milk and curd were later destroyed by the team. Thapliyal said that six teams have been deployed in the district for the past few days to keep tabs on the manufacturing units of sweets and the retail shops to ensure no malpractice occurs.  

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 applies to all food business undertakings- profit, non-profit, public and private- ranging from the stage of manufacture, processing, packaging, storage, to importing, selling, transporting and distribution of the items, he said.He further said that during inspection, teams are monitoring preparation techniques and are also keeping a close watch over hygiene and precautions being maintained by the manufacturers. 

The officials have been directed to take samples of milk and the by- products which remain in demand during the festive season.

After collecting sampling, food items are sent to Food and Drug Testing laboratory (FDTl), Rudrapur for checking its purity, he added.