Delhi Orders Round-the-Clock Raids Against Food Adulteration During Festive Season

New Delhi: The Delhi government has intensified its crackdown on food adulteration ahead of the festive season, directing officials to conduct inspections and raids around the clock. Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh issued the instructions during a review meeting with Food Safety Department officials, stressing that any compromise with food quality would invite strict legal action.

The minister said the government was committed to protecting public health and ensuring that unsafe food products did not reach consumers, particularly during the period of increased demand for sweets and other festive items.

429 Food Samples Tested in Two Months

According to the department's review, officials collected 429 food samples over the past two months, including 307 enforcement samples and 122 surveillance samples. Special inspection and enforcement activities were conducted over 32 days during this period.

More than 4,500 kg of unsafe and substandard food products were destroyed. The discarded material included approximately 3,440 kg of khoya, dhaap and butter, 658 kg of paneer and 139 kg of expired food products.

Special Surveillance of Ghee and Dairy Products

The department conducted three targeted raids against suspected ghee adulteration, collecting 65 samples. Of these, 19 were found to be unsafe.

Six additional special drives were carried out at sweet-making units, dairy establishments, fasting-food manufacturing facilities and other locations. These operations resulted in the collection of 148 food samples.

What Did the Latest Mori Gate Raid Reveal?

In the latest operation at Khoya Mandi in Mori Gate on Tuesday, officials destroyed around 6,700 kg of foul-smelling and unhygienic khoya and dhaap. A mobile food testing laboratory examined 44 samples at the site, of which 35 failed to meet the prescribed standards.

Year-Round Monitoring of Food Businesses

The health minister directed officials to maintain special surveillance over khoya, paneer, chhena, sweets, savoury snacks, ghee, edible oils and dry fruits.

He said that under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's leadership, the government would continue working to ensure safe food for residents. The enforcement campaign, he added, would not be restricted to the festive season but would continue throughout the year, with strict legal action against those found involved in adulteration.