Banaskantha, Feb 26
Authorities have seized 4,000 kg adulterated ghee valued at Rs 17.5 lakh in Gujarat's Banaskantha district.
Food and Drugs Department of Gujarat conducted raids at the premises of Navkar Dairy Products in Deesa and Palanpur, leading to the collection of 11 samples and the seizure of 4,000 kg of ghee, valued at approximately Rs 17.5 lakh. The confiscated stock was intended for sale in Rajasthan.
Notably, the trader had previously been fined for adulterating edible oil.
The Food and Drug Regulatory Authority, Banaskantha, had earlier issued notices to Navkar Dairy Products, after finding violations of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.
Despite being given two opportunities to rectify the shortcomings, the company failed to comply, leading to the cancellation of its license.
During the surprise inspection, officials discovered that the company was still producing ghee despite the cancellation of its license.
Upon questioning Sanjaykumar Babulal Mahesuriya, the person responsible, suspicions arose regarding the adulteration of ghee with soybean oil and interesterified vegetable fat. Consequently, 11 samples from different brands and weights were collected for testing.
The seized stock, prepared for sale during festive seasons in Rajasthan, was confiscated on-site in the public health interest.
The seized samples have been sent to the laboratory for analysis, and further legal action will follow based on the results.
The trader has a history of food adulteration, having previously been fined Rs 1.25 lakh for adulterating edible oil and Rs 25,000 in a criminal case related to colour adulteration in chilli powder.
In recent years, Gujarat has witnessed significant efforts to combat food adulteration, leading to substantial seizures and legal actions.
Between January 2023 and March 2024, the Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) conducted 15 special drives, targeting various food items such as nutraceuticals, farali foods, ghee, millets, dry fruits, nuts, seeds, bakery items, and spices. These operations resulted in the collection of 18,686 samples and the seizure of approximately 772.7 tonnes of suspected adulterated products worth Rs 5.53 crore. Of these, 13.8 tonnes valued at Rs 43.88 lakh were destroyed due to safety concerns.
In a notable 15-day campaign from October 3 to October 17, 2024, termed the "Food Safety Pakhwada," FDCA officials conducted raids at 115 locations across the state. This initiative led to the seizure or destruction of around 233 tonnes of suspected adulterated food materials, including 32 tonnes of inedible ghee worth Rs 3.8 crore and 36 tonnes of sweet 'mava'.
The total estimated value of the seized products was approximately Rs 6.6 crore. All seized samples were sent to laboratories for analysis, with further legal actions pending based on the results. During the same period, the FDCA collected fines amounting to Rs 1 crore, with Banaskantha district alone accounting for Rs 65 lakh in penalties.
Additionally, in the first four days of the 'Food Safety Fortnight' during Navratri in October 2024, the health department seized 32,000 kg of adulterated food items, including milk products and edible oil, worth over Rs 1.73 crore, across 1,170 raids.
Despite these rigorous enforcement actions, challenges persist. Data presented during the winter session of Parliament in December 2024 revealed that 8.3 per cent of food samples tested in Gujarat between April and September 2024 failed to meet safety standards. Specifically, 360 out of 4,316 food samples analysed were found non-compliant.