40 samples taken from sweets shops

Fatehgarh Sahib, Nov 10

In view of the festive season, a food safety team of the Health Department, led by Civil Surgeon Davinderjit Kaur, inspected sweets shops and took 40 samples of different items at Amloh, Chanarthal Kalan, Jakhwali and Sirhind town.

The Civil Surgeon said on the directions of the Commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration, Punjab, health teams were taking samples of eatable items to check adulteration. She said the samples taken today would be sent to the food laboratory for testing and appropriate action would be taken upon the receipt of their report.

She said no one would be allowed to play with people’s health. Members of the food safety team instructed the shopkeepers to maintain cleanliness, sell clean and fresh goods and mention the date of preparation and expiry of sweets.

The Civil Surgeon directed sweets shop owners not to use chemical colours and add only food colors suggested by the department. She appealed to people to make purchases at shops maintaining hygiene.

She urged people to report the matter to the Health Department in case they come across anyone or shopkeeper adulterating food items or selling substandard good. Food safety officers Kanwarjit Singh and Mehek Saini were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, shopkeepers, on the condition of anonymity, alleged that big diary owners were regularly supplying adulterated milk and milk items to small shopkeepers, who sell these at low price, causing confusion among customers. They demanded that instead of taking samples from genuine and renowned shops, which are known to maintain quality, big suppliers should be nabbed.