One challaned, 12 samples collected as health team inspects sweet shops in Patiala

In view of the festive season, district food safety team lead by District Health Officer Dr Gurpreet Kaur carried out a surprise inspection at a sweets factory in Babu Singh Colony and collected 12 samples from various locations.

Additionally, 107 kg of suspected substandard khoya barfi and 25 kg of sweet khoya were seized.

Samples included gulab jamun, rasgulla, barfi, dhoda barfi, chhena murki and khoya barfi—five of which were from rasgullas, with seven other samples also taken.

Kaur added that under the directions of Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh and FDA Commissioner Dilraj Singh, food safety officers Tarun Bansal, Jaswinder Singh and Gaurav Kumar have been conducting night checkpoints at the Haryana border to intercept sweets and paneer arriving from other states.

Simultaneously, inspections are being carried out across the district in light of the festive season.

She noted that during these checks, it was observed that some units producing sweets were operating under unsafe and substandard conditions.

As a result, a challan was issued on the spot to one factory for unsafe practices. The seized 107 kg of suspicious khoya barfi and 25 kg of sweet khoya will be securely stored until lab reports are received from the State Food Laboratory in Kharar.

Kaur instructed sweet manufacturers to strictly follow FSSAI Schedule IV, FSMS guidelines, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and Good Hygiene Practices (GHP).

She emphasised the importance of cleanliness, staff hygiene, proper equipment maintenance, record-keeping, pest control, and waste disposal at production sites. Non-compliance will lead to strict action.

She further stated that, as per the instructions of the Health Minister and Deputy Commissioner Dr Preeti Yadav, all small and large sweet manufacturers have been directed to verify the source of milk, paneer and khoya used in their units to prevent the sale of adulterated or fake food products. Any negligence or endangerment to public health will not be tolerated.