GANDERBAL: Based on the complaint received against ‘Naaz Foods’ for supplying sub-standard food items in the market, a team comprising Intelligence cum Legal Cell Kashmir Division and Food Safety Department (FSD) Ganderbal inspected the said premises situated at Makaibagh, Nagbal falling in District Ganderbal.
During the inspection, the team found that the unit was being operated illegally without an FSSAI license under unhygienic conditions. No preventive measures were taken to restrict the entry of pests and the employees working in the unit were without proper uniforms/PPGs. The premise was also without floor and wall tiling. It was also found that the manufacturer was also using synthetic food colours for preparing the foods.
Taking action against the erring, the proprietor of the unit was penalized under Section 69 of the Food Safety and Standards Act and a sample of prepared food was lifted for laboratory analysis. About 50 kgs of minced meat with added synthetic colour was destroyed and the unit was sealed by the concerned Food Safety Officer in the interest of public health and for further investigation in the matter.
Meat, chicken and fish are categorized as high-risk foods. The sale, storage and distribution of all meat products if not maintained under recommended temperature (-18 C for prolonged storage and 0-5 C for brief storage) can deteriorate its quality rapidly thereby rendering it potentially hazardous for human health.
Thus the public in general are advised to follow similar practices at home also to consume all meat products safely.
