Health dept raids sweetmeat shops, adulterated khoya seized

November 1, 2007

Instead of Sweets - have fruits and distribute fruits for Diwali - it will be healthy- Lokesh

One of the news on how adultation is widespread - what about places where this has not been checked - or there is collaboration of people adultrating and people checking?

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Health-dept-raids-sweetmeat-shops-adulterated-khoya-seized/234746/

Ludhiana, October 31 Ahead of Diwali, the festival when sweets are exchanged and consumed by the tonnes, a team of the Health department today raided a sweetmeat shop supplying adulterated sweets, especially khoya, to several halwais and confectionary shops in the city. The team seized 7.2 quintal of barfi, 1.5 quintal of milk cake and 2.5 quintal of patisa. Acting on a tip off, the team of Health department raided New Goel Sweet Suppliers and Co, Shop No 55, situated Near Arora Palace in New Anaj Mandi this morning and took three samples. The team also seized adulterated material. "We checked the material being processed in the factory and found various anomalies in the manufacturing procedure," said Dr SP Sharma, Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana. Food Inspector Manoj Khosla said the unit used to make khoya from water, sugar, skimmed milk powder and refined oil. "The mixture was converted into khoya with the help of a machine and barfi was being made from the same khoya." The manufacturing unit has supplied sweets to more than 100 shops in the areas like Dehlon, Raikot, Phillaur and Pakhowal. Explaining the harmful effects of adulterated sweets, Dr Uggar Singh Sooch, SMO, Civil Hospital, Raikot, said: "The consumption of such food items can lead to vomiting, diarrheoa. A long term consumption can affect the liver badly."

There were five workers in the factory at the time of the raid, besides the manager of the factory. The police team from Shimplapuri Police Station arrested the manager of the factory, Rupinder Kumar, under Section 420, 272 of the IPC and under PFA Act. A case has also been registered against Surinder Kumar Goel, owner of the factory. However, he had not been arrested yet. The Health department also carried out raids on three other shops at Sufian Chowk, Field Ganj and Gill Road. The team took seven samples of food.