Adulterated food: samples collected

In a bid to ensure supply of unadulterated food products in the markets, Jammu and Kashmir officials continued a drive against food manufacturing companies and collected different samples from markets on Saturday. 

A food safety department inspection team led by assistant commissioner, Khurshid Ahmed Wani and food safety officers Inderjit Singh and Khalid Hussain during the market checking collected various samples of ghee and spice from different shopkeepers in South Kashmir’s Pulwom town. 

Singh said the team collected the samples of ‘Gowardhan Ghee’ and ‘Rath Vanaspati’. “Earlier we had collected the samples of Mirchi Powder manufactured by Rehmat Spices and the report about this product is awaited,” Singh said, adding: they will continue to inspect and raid those shops selling products which are unsafe for consumption. 

Sources said the food safety officers from different districts are collecting samples of food products. Such samples are being referred to reputed labs across India. 

Days ago, during a meeting divisional commissioner Kashmir, Shalinder Kumar, had directed the food safety department to start a drive against those companies and shopkeepers selling adulterated food products. 

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also instructed the department to be vigilant and active in curbing the menace. 

Customer Relations Officer of Kashmiri Brand Rehmat Spices saod apart from Pulwom the samples of their products were also collected from Anantnag, Ganderbal, Srinagar and other districts. “These are the instructions of Omar Abdullah and this is a routine matter. Every day food safety department’s designated official collect these samples and refer them to different labs to ascertain their purity and quality,” he said.