Festive food-safety drive: 10 samples lifted from bakeries

Before festive boxes of cookies and namkeen reach Delhi’s homes, the Food Safety Department has inspected where they are made — a special drive covered seven bakery manufacturing units and retail outlets across the Capital. The department collected 10 food samples and recommended improvement notices for two premises.

The drive was carried out on the instructions of Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh. It aimed to assess hygiene standards and compliance with food safety requirements. The department said demand for bakery products rises during the festive period for household use, celebrations and gifting. The drive therefore focused on food safety practices, hygiene conditions and compliance with regulatory requirements, to safeguard public health.

The teams visited premises in Greater Kailash II, Kailash Colony, Connaught Place, Shakurbasti, Patparganj Industrial Area and Mayapuri.

The 10 samples included both legal and surveillance samples. They covered cookies, biscuits, paneer, low-fat cream, dark compound, methi mathri and malai sev. The sampling was part of the department’s effort to assess food safety and monitor compliance among food business operators.

In addition to collecting samples, the teams conducted on-site inspections and assessed hygiene and sanitation practices as required under food safety regulations. They reviewed hygienic conditions on the premises, safe food-handling practices, and adherence to applicable standards at manufacturing facilities and retail outlets.

Following the inspections, the inspectors recommended improvement notices for two premises. These are the Patparganj premises of Honey & Dough and Satguru Agencies in Mayapuri. “Ensuring the safety and quality of food consumed by Delhi’s residents is a priority,” Singh said. He said the department has been directed to maintain strict vigilance, particularly during the festive season, and to ensure that food business operators follow prescribed hygiene and food safety standards.

Singh said festivals are a time when families buy food products for consumption, gatherings and gifting. He said it is essential that these products are prepared, stored, and sold under proper hygienic conditions. The Delhi Government is committed to strengthening food safety monitoring and ensuring that food business operators fulfil their responsibilities towards consumers, he added.

The department said it will continue to focus on inspections, sampling, and compliance assessments, especially during periods of high consumer demand. These efforts aim to promote safe food practices so that residents can buy and eat food products with confidence. The Government urged all food business operators to maintain high hygiene standards, follow prescribed regulations and ensure that products supplied to consumers meet applicable requirements.