10 food, beverage samples fail purtiy test in one month
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, January 13
A total of 61 samples of various food and beverage items, including those of cheese and ghee, were collected by the district Health Department in the past month, out of which 10 failed the purity test. Of the total samples collected, reports of 40 have arrived at the DHO office so far in Bathinda.
Dr Ramesh Maheshwari, District Health Officer, said, “Out of the 40 sample reports received so far, 10 have failed the purity test. We have started a special checking drive for cheese on the directions of the state head office last month. Under the drive, we had collected nine samples of cheese from different bulk manufacturing units in the city. Of the nine samples, five failed the purity test. And it has come to light that poor quality of cheese was sold in the city. After that, we had warned milk and milk product manufacturers in the city to adhere to FSSAI guidelines while preparing products.”
Dr Maheshwari added, “We will not let food safety norm offenders to take city residents’ health for granted. We will conduct checking again and if samples fail the purity test or any kind of adulteration is found, the licences of respective units/parties would be cancelled.”
The DHO said samples of ghee from a premier utility store on the Bathinda-Barnala road were collected and as many as 129 boxes were seized. The report revealed that the ghee had been found “unsafe” for consumption. If anybody find anything suspicious with regard to quality of eatables or beverages in the city they must intimate the Health Department, we will take appropriate action in the matter.
