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FDA Pre-diwali drive: 226 food samples sent for testing

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The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) started its pre-Diwali drive a few of days ago to check the quality of food during the festive season.

Subsequently, a total of 226 food products, including wheat flour, maida, rava, gram flour, sweets, milk etc, were collected by FDA and sent for testing. The authorities, however, seized oil, vanaspati and ghee worth Rs 3.5 lakh from Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur and districts under Pune division in a week’s time.

Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA Pune, “While drawing samples of vanaspati and oil from some manufacturers our officers had a doubt that the products were sub-standard. So we have seized a huge consignment of vanaspati and oil from the manufacturer to avoid its sale. The samples are being analysed in the food testing lab.” Efforts to control adulteration of sweets and other raw materials, are made by the FDA and they have appealed the citizens to be alert while buying sweets and food products to avoid any hazards.

“The consumers must buy products from licensed retailers and their regular dealers. They should buy less sweets than they require to avoid wastage and ensure that its consumed before expiry. There are simple tests that can be done at home to check adulteration. If any of the food items are sub-standard then they must contact us immediately,” said Kekare.

For eg, a few drops of tincture of iodine can test the quality of khoya. If it turns bluish, it is adulterated. To determine if milk is adulterated with urea, take a teaspoon of milk in a test tube and add half teaspoon of soyabean and mix it thoroughly. After five minutes, dip a red litmus paper in it. Urea presence will be indicated if there is a change in colour from red to blue.

Avoid adulterated food products

Sweet boxes must mention the expiry date, manufacturing details
Don’t purchase sweets that are uncovered
Insist on bills
Consume sweets containing khoya within 24 hours
Do not buy sweets that are very cheap priced, compare milk, khoya rates prices

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