Adulterated food items cast shadow over Diwali festivities

As Ludhiana gears up for Diwali and Karva Chauth, the city’s festive spirit is shadowed by a bitter truth—adulterated sweets flooding the market. In two major raids this week, officials of the Food Safety Department seized over 239 kg of adulterated ghee and paneer, raising serious concerns about public health and food safety.

Sham Nagar’s ghee unit raided

On October 6, officials raided a house in Sham Nagar, where adulterated desi ghee was being prepared using cream and milk powder. Nearly 50 kg of low-quality ghee was seized from the facility. Shockingly, the culprits had a history of food safety violations dating back to 2017 and were declared absconders in 2023. “This kind of repeated offence is not just illegal—it’s a direct attack on public health,” said Civil Surgeon Dr Ramandeep Kaur. “We urge citizens to buy only from licenced shops and report suspicious products,” she added.

189-kg paneer seized

A day earlier, a joint operation intercepted a vehicle near Rangarh Bhullar carrying 189 kg of paneer in non-refrigerated conditions. The paneer, sourced from Nirvana, Haryana, was meant for roadside dhabas and fast food vendors. “The paneer was being transported in a blatant violation of the FSSAI’s norms,” said Dr Sandeep Singh, who supervised the raid. “We destroyed the stock on-site to prevent it from entering the food chain,” he said.

Healthy homemade recipes for safe Diwali

Experts from PAU Kisan Club suggest skipping buying sweets from the market this festive season and trying some nutritious alternatives such as coconut ladoos that can be simply made by mixing grated coconut, jaggery and cardamom. Experts also suggest trying dry fruit rolls. All one has to do is blend dates, figs, almonds and cashews, shape them into rolls and coat them with crushed pistachios.

“Homemade sweets are not just safer—they’re tastier and healthier,” said Dr Arshdeep Singh, a food science expert.

Voices from city

“I always buy sweets from the same trusted shop, but after these raids, I’ll be more cautious,” said Harpreet Kaur, a homemaker from Chander Nagar.

“We’ve started making ladoos at home. It’s fun and gives us peace of mind,” shared Gurpreet Singh, a father of two from Sarabha Nagar.

“I hope the authorities concerned keep up with these checks. It’s scary to think what we might be eating,” said college student Simran Bhatia.

Public advisory

Dr Ramandeep Kaur has issued a festive advisory, urging citizens to avoid crowded places and unhygienic food stalls. Ensure sweets are purchased from licenced vendors, only. Keep children and the elderly safe from pollution and unsafe food. Report any suspicious food items to the Food Safety Department.

Spot adulteration at home

Here are a few simple tests to check for adulteration in common festive ingredients:

Desi ghee: Add two–three drops of iodine to a spoonful of ghee. If it turns blue, starch has been added.

Paneer/khoya: Boil with water, let it cool, then add iodine. A blue colour indicates starch adulteration.

Milk: Drop a little milk on a slanted surface. Pure milk leaves a trail; adulterated milk slides quickly without leaving traces.

Silver vark: Crush gently between fingers. Pure silver crumbles softly; aluminium breaks into sharp shreds.