Pulwama: The Food Safety Department has prohibited the sale of a batch of “New Fast Tea” dust tea in Pulwama district after a laboratory analysis declared it unsafe for human consumption.
According to the Designated Officer, Food Safety, Pulwama, the sample of “Dust Tea (Premium Instant Mix Tea)” marketed under the brand name New Fast Tea (Batch No. 10) was collected by the Food Safety Officer, Tral, and sent to the National Food Laboratory, Ghaziabad, for analysis.
The laboratory found the product unsafe due to the presence of the water-soluble synthetic colours Tartrazine and Sunset Yellow, making it non-compliant with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the department said.
The department said consumption of the product may be harmful to public health and that its sale is prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011.
It also noted that the manufacture and sale of unsafe food, as defined under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is a punishable offence.
Exercising powers under the Act, the Designated Officer, Food Safety, Pulwama, has ordered an immediate ban on the sale of the specified batch of the product within the territorial jurisdiction of Pulwama district until further orders.
