Of 245 food samples, 24 fail quality test in Jalandhar

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 11

Teams of the Health Department are on their toes for the busiest festive season ever since the onset of the Covid last year. Of the 245 samples of food items collected this year, 24 have failed the quality test. This includes 19 food items, which were found substandard, one misbranded and four unsafe for consumption.

In all, 75 and 72 samples were collected in August and September, respectively. This is the maximum number of samples collected this year. In October, 45 samples have alaready been collected. This number is likely to hit 100 by the month end.

The festive rush and hectic market activity is marked by unprecedented footall at eateries. There has been dramatic increase in supply of food and eatables in the district ahead of Dussehra and Diwali.

Tonnes of items destroyed

Tonnes of food items have laready been destroyed by the Health Department. This include 275-kg substandard paneer in September and 50-kg raw chicken at a leading mutipurpose food store in Garha, after a consumer complained of a lizard in his package. A dal sample of an outlet was also found to be unsafe.

Meanwhile, 50 trucks heading to the city with food items were stopped and checked by the Health Department on the GT road, near Phillaur, yesterday. Samples of food items were also collected from trucks. Sources in the Health Department said, “Many vehicles ferry food items from Ludhiana and Delhi to Jalandhar. The vanaspati sample collected from a truck coming from Delhi was of an unusal brand. There is so much traffic on the highway that it’s diffcult to keep a tab on food items supplied to the city.”

19 food items found substandard, four unsafe

The Health Department collected 584 samples of food items in 2019 and 467 last year. Of 245 samples of food items collected this year, including 48 of milk, 19 were found to be substandard, one misbranded and four unsafe for consumption.

Inform Health Dept

The Health Department has issued helpline 2224848 for anyone, who wants to pass on information, about spurious or substandard food to the health authorities. People can also email information at [email protected]

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