Two food licences suspended, 132 samples lifted; 800 kg of sweets destroyed in Jammu and Kathua
JAMMU: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Jammu and Kashmir, has intensified food safety inspections across all districts ahead of Diwali, conducting 276 inspections and lifting 132 samples for analysis during a two-day enforcement drive.
The drive also resulted in the suspension of two food business licences for violations of licence conditions and the destruction of 800 kg of sweets found to have been processed under poor sanitary and unhygienic conditions in Jammu and Kathua districts. The destroyed sweets were estimated to be worth Rs 1.44 lakh.
According to the FDA, 34 cases were compounded under Section 69 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with fines totalling Rs 39,000 realised.
The department also recommended legal action in 13 cases under Sections 56 and 58 of the Act for violations involving unhygienic and insanitary conditions in food processing and handling.
Section 56 provides for a penalty of up to Rs 1 lakh for carrying out food processing or manufacturing under unhygienic or insanitary conditions, while Section 58 prescribes a penalty of up to Rs 2 lakh for contraventions for which no specific penalty has been provided under the Act.
Besides, 14 Improvement Notices were issued under Section 32, directing the concerned Food Business Operators to rectify identified deficiencies within the stipulated period and comply with prescribed food safety and hygiene requirements.
The FDA has urged consumers to remain vigilant while purchasing food items during the festive season and buy products only from licensed or registered food business operators.
It has also advised consumers to check the labelling, manufacturing and expiry dates of packaged food products and report suspected food adulteration or violations of food safety norms to the concerned authorities.
