Festival season sparks food safety drive in city

As the festive season lights up Ludhiana’s markets, health experts are urging residents not to be misled by dazzling appearance of sweets and snacks. Bright colours may look tempting, but these could be hiding harmful chemicals and non-permitted additives.

In response to rising concerns, the Health Department has launched a city-wide food safety drive to check adulteration and ensure public health.

Under the leadership of Civil Surgeon Dr Ramandeep Kaur, a food safety team conducted two major sampling drives recently across the industrial town, collecting a total of 41 food samples from various locations.

In the latest round, 14 samples of milk, paneer and sweets were taken from shops in Basti Jodhewal, Tibba Road, Dugri, Dhandra Road, Phullanwal, Model Town and Dracy. Earlier, on 25th September, 27 samples of cakes, pastries, fruits and vegetables were collected from eateries on Dhandra Road, in Ghumar Mandi, Kipps Market, on Chandigarh Road, Malhar Road, Gill VPO and Gill Road.

Emphasising on the urgency of the drive, Civil Surgeon said, “During festivals, the risk of adulteration in food increases. Our teams are working proactively to ensure that only safe and hygienic food reaches the public. Action will be taken based on lab reports, and if any sample fails, strict penalties will be levied on adulterators.”

The inspection teams, comprising Food Safety Officers Dr Jatinder Virk, Yogesh Goyal, Divyajot Kaur and Harsimran Kaur, also conducted awareness sessions with food business operators (FBOs). They were instructed to maintain cleanliness, use high-quality raw materials, and display their food safety licences prominently on their premises.

City residents have voiced strong support for the initiative and called for tougher enforcement of anti-adulteration laws. “If any vendor is found selling adulterated food, his/her licence should be cancelled immediately,” said Ramesh Arora, a businessman from Model Town. “We spend money to celebrate with our families — not to fall sick,” he said.

Simran Kaur, a homemaker from Dugri, said, “I always check for freshness and smell before buying sweets. But not everyone knows how to spot adulteration. The government must act fast and make results public.”

Dr Divyajot Kaur encouraged residents to stay vigilant and report suspicious food items being sold in markets. “Even basic home tests — like rubbing paneer to check texture or dissolving turmeric in water — can help identify adulteration,” she said.

The Health Department has assured that surprise inspections would continue throughout the festive season. Residents have been urged to buy sweets only from licensed vendors and demand hygiene. As Ludhiana prepares for celebrations, the authorities are determined to ensure that joy doesn’t come at the cost of health.

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Bright isn’t always right

What You Should Know About Food Colours

1. Natural vs Synthetic: Natural colours come from fruits, vegetables, and spices (like turmeric or beetroot). Synthetic colours are lab-made and must follow strict safety limits.

2. Too much colour = Red flag: If your sweets look too bright, unnaturally shiny, or leave colour on your fingers, they may contain excess or unsafe dyes.

3. Commonly overused items: Gulab jamun syrup (deep red), barfi with neon pink or green layers, bright orange jalebis, candies and bakery icing

4. Safe doesn’t mean unlimited: Even permitted synthetic colours must stay within 100 ppm in solids. Overuse can cause allergies, stomach issues or long-term health risks.

5. Quick tip: If the colour looks more like a paint job than a food item — think twice before eating.