FSSAI orders festive-season crackdown on adulterated food ahead of Navratri, Diwali

Enforcement teams have been told to give priority to milk and milk products, sweets, snacks and savouries, including namkeen and papad, edible oils, beverages and ghee.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed food safety authorities across states and Union territories to intensify inspections and sampling ahead of the festive season to prevent the sale of adulterated, counterfeit and unsafe food products.

The regulator issued the directive on September 29, asking enforcement authorities to treat the matter as a priority as demand for several food products is expected to rise during the upcoming festive period.

FSSAI targets milk, sweets, ghee and other food products

The festive season usually sees a sharp increase in demand for sweets, milk and milk products, savouries, namkeen, edible oil, beverages and ghee.

FSSAI has asked authorities to keep a close watch on these products and expand the list of commodities based on local consumption patterns and the prevalence of particular foods in different regions.

Products such as khoa, paneer and other dairy items are also expected to come under increased scrutiny during the drive.

Food safety officials to conduct inspections and sampling

Under the directive, state food safety commissioners have been asked to deploy Designated Officers, Food Safety Officers and Central Food Safety Officers for inspections and sampling.

The checks will focus particularly on:

• Food hotspots
• Markets with high festive demand
• Sensitive locations
• Areas identified through previous inspections or intelligence inputs
• Places where complaints related to food safety have been received

The objective is to identify and stop adulterated or unsafe food products before they reach consumers.

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Food safety on wheels to be deployed in markets

FSSAI has also called for the strategic deployment of Food Safety on Wheels (FSWs) in prominent marketplaces wherever the mobile laboratories are available.

These mobile food-testing units can facilitate testing at or near market locations. The move is aimed at improving surveillance during the period of increased food consumption and also creating greater awareness among consumers about food safety.

Officials can also deploy the units based on specific intelligence inputs, according to the directive.

Inspection data to be updated in real time

The food safety regulator has instructed authorities to record details related to inspections, samples collected and their outcomes on the FoSCoS/FoSCoRIS platforms on a real-time basis.

The system will help authorities maintain records of enforcement activities carried out during the festive drive and track the results of food sampling.

Why FSSAI is intensifying checks

The festive period traditionally brings higher demand for food products that are more vulnerable to adulteration. FSSAI has previously conducted special drives targeting products such as milk, ghee, khoya, paneer and sweets during festive periods.

The regulator's latest order comes as authorities across the country prepare for the increase in food production, sales and consumption during the festival season.

The latest directive is intended to strengthen surveillance at the ground level and ensure that food businesses comply with safety and quality requirements.

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