1,000 samples of every food item to be tested across State in view of Onam

Food safety inspections will be made more stringent as it has come to the notice of the Health Department that adulterated or substandard food items are increasingly reaching the State from across the border with the start of the festive season.

Special squads of the Food Safety wing have started inspections across the State as part of a pre-festival drive to ensure food safety. The officials have started testing samples of coconut oil coming through check-posts following widespread complaints that engine oil, converted into white oil, was being used to adulterate coconut oil. A private firm at Palakkad was closed down by the food safety officials on Tuesday in this connection.

Testing of samples of milk has been made stringent as increased quantities of milk will be brought into the State in view of the festival season. During the last Onam season, the Food Safety wing had detected widespread use of formalin to preserve milk.

Steps have been taken to collect statutory samples of ghee, jaggery, chilli powder, fruits, vegetables, payasam mix, pickles, meat, and cashew nut and send these for lab testing.

The services of laboratories in universities and other government enterprises will be utilised for testing the food samples.

In a State-wide intensive food safety drive being launched on Thursday, over 1,000 samples of every food item will be tested across the State. This is the first time since the inception of the Food Safety wing that such a widespread food safety inspection is being held, an official release said.