19 out of 48 samples fail quality test

The samples of sweets collected by the health department during Diwali have failed quality test. The department had collected a total of 97 samples during October, and most samples were of sweets. Of these, report of 48 samples has come from the Food Laboratory Chandigarh.

As per the report, 19 samples were found to be of substandard quality, misbranded or unsafe for human consumption. The report of remaining samples will come soon.

It is pertinent to mention here that in September department had collected 107 food samples, mostly included sweets, milk and its products. Of these, 27 samples were found to be of substandard quality.

District health officer Dr Abnash Kumar said, “The report of remaining samples will come gradually, as it's a continuous process. Meanwhile, we have issued notices to the shopkeepers whose samples had failed the test.”

“One month's time has been given to the shopkeepers to request for getting their second sample tested. After that the department will file a case in the court,” he said.

Kumar said, “A total of 1.5 quintals milk cake, which was collected from Gopal Krishan Sweets and Confectionary shop, Khanna, a few days before Diwali, was found to be misleading and substandard. The department had destroyed the milk cake. Milk cake samples collected from Madan Lal sweets, Jagraon, was also found to be unsafe for human consumption.”

Samples, which were found substandard included: ghee and cheese from Chabra Dairy, Gurudwara Kalgidhar Road; 'Soanpapdi' from Aman traders Field Ganj; mustard oil from Bhushan Di Hatti, Jagraon; cheese from Bhupinder Kumar and Sons, Jagraon; milk samples from Mohammad Soni Malak, Jagraon and cheese samples from Chandar Dairy, Chandar Nagar Road.

Kalakand from Mukesh Sweets, Chandigarh Road; 'Besan laddu' from Shree Lakshmi Sweets Bhattian; and sweets samples from Rajkishore Sweets Jandiali Badewal were found to be misleading.

Samples, which were found misbranded included: Coconut sweet from Billa confectionary, Field Ganj; choco love sweet from Madhav Enterprises Clock Tower; mustard oil from Deepak Kumar and Sons Jagraon.

Food safety and standards act:

Substandard: if the product does not meet the specified standards under the act, but not so as to deliver the article of food unsafe

Misbranded: Products offered or promoted for sale with false, misleading or deceptive claims upon the label of packaging

Unsafe: An article of food whose nature, substance or quality is so affected as to render it injurious to health

Punishment: The health department sends the cases to the court, from where the punishment in terms of monetary or prison is granted as per the fault of seller. There is a provision of fine if a sample falls under substandard or misbranded. If the sample is unsafe, there is a provision of fine and imprisonment.