Over 42% of desi ghee samples in Delhi fail food safety standards

A food safety drive in Delhi, ordered by CM Rekha Gupta, found expired food, pests, and unhygienic conditions in e-commerce warehouses. Shockingly, over 42% of desi ghee samples tested were found to be either unsafe or failed to meet standards.

The Food Safety Department, on the directions of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, is conducting an extensive enforcement drive in the national capital. As part of the drive, warehouses and dark stores operated by e-commerce and quick-commerce companies were inspected, and samples of various brands of desi ghee sold in markets were tested. The inspections revealed expired food products, the presence of pests, unhygienic storage conditions and shortcomings in maintaining the required temperature at several premises.

Over 42% Ghee Samples Fail Standards

Of the 59 desi ghee samples tested, 19 were found to be unsafe, while four failed to meet food safety standards. More than 42 per cent of the samples did not meet the standards, said the Delhi Chief Minister's Office on Saturday. Action is being taken in accordance with the rules based on the deficiencies identified. The Chief Minister said that "compromising on food quality or endangering people’s health through adulteration is unacceptable under any circumstances. The health of Delhiites will not be compromised."

Pests, Expired Food Found in Warehouses

Food Safety Department officials inspected food storage facilities operated by quick-commerce and retail companies in various parts of Delhi. During the inspections, they found expired products, pests, unhygienic storage conditions, shortcomings in maintaining the prescribed cold-storage temperature, damaged packages and labelling irregularities. The department also collected food samples during the inspections and issued improvement notices to the establishments concerned.

CM Directs Stricter Monitoring, Action Promised

The department collected 59 samples of different desi ghee brands from markets across Delhi, including Naharpur, Posangipur, Laxmi Nagar, Preet Vihar, Rampura, Tagore Garden, Kalyanpuri, Krishna Vihar and Kondli, the CMO further said. The Chief Minister has directed the Food Safety Department to strengthen monitoring of markets, food storage facilities and establishments supplying food products through online platforms.

The government has stated that action will be taken in accordance with the rules wherever food safety standards are violated. The government said its objective was to ensure that every family in Delhi had access to safe and quality food, adding that protecting public health and ensuring accountability in the food trade remained priorities. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)