Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Mumbai, seized khoya, oil and vanaspati worth Rs 37.72 lakh during the festive season from October 1 to November 30 and also collected 33 samples as part of the drive.
Suresh Deshmukh, joint commissioner, FDA, Greater Mumbai, said, “We have conducted special raids against all those FBOs which have been involved in adulteration during the festive season. In order to curb the incidence of adulteration this drive was conducted all over Mumbai.”
Sahebrao V Mule, FDA, food safety officer, Zone 9, Mumbai, informed, “We conducted raids in all wards and zone of Mumbai and collected 33 samples. We are awaiting the results of the collected samples. We have seized khoya weighing 17,219 kg and worth Rs 27,86,776, and oil and vanaspati worth Rs 9,84,700 respectively.”
He added, “Vanaspati of First Class and Ruchera brands both from South India have been seized. First Class vanaspati 530 tins of 15 kg each and Ruchera 150 tins of 15 kg each have been seized whereas in oil, mustard oil 60 tins of 15 kg each and 2 tons loose, groundnut oil 2 tons and palmolein oil 40 tins of 15 kg each have been seized.”
Mule said, “We have sent all the samples to laboratory for testing on 8th November and we are awaiting the results. After the result is out and if the product is found to be injurious to health, complaint will be filed at court and the court will decide about the action taken on the culprits.”
Most of the khoya comes from Gujarat and Rajasthan, the groundnut oil comes from Gujarat, mustard oil comes from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh while palmolein oil is imported from Malaysia.