Monday 11, 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
In order to keep a close watch on food items being sold during the festive season, the food safety and drug administration (FDA) has formed a response team as a part of a surveillance system to ensure food safety in Dehradun. The administration has filed a court case against 20 shopkeepers on the weekend under Food Safety Standards Act 2006 as the food samples collected from them failed the quality test. The food safety officer PC Joshi informed that these 20 shopkeepers include seven shopkeepers from Dehradun, five each from Mussoorie and Vikasnagar and three from Rishikesh. He said that most of the samples that failed the test were dairy products. He said that the department has also started collecting samples of products like kuttu atta as its consumption increases during Navratri. “We have already sent five samples for testing but the shopkeepers and consumers also need to stay aware. Since the demand for kuttu atta is mostly on Navratri, many sell the old stock of the flour which can make the consumer sick. The shelf life of flour after opening a flour bag is one month and must be consumed within this period,” stated Joshi. He added that shopkeepers must avoid overstocking of products with short shelf life like kuttu atta as harmful microbes grow in them making the products unhealthy to consume. He said that the department will cancel the license of such shopkeepers who deliberately sell adulterated and expired products. Joshi informed that FDA has prepared a surveillance system to ensure food safety in the district. Under this system, the administration has formed a response team with the weekly goals to conduct inspections and collect samples of food items, said Joshi. He added, “The FDA will conduct inspection regularly, especially during the festive season and action will be taken against the guilty party as per the law.”
