The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has sealed a namkeen manufacturing unit in Naroda after detecting serious violations related to the storage and disposal of used cooking oil during a special food safety inspection drive ahead of Diwali.
On Monday, the AMC’s Food Safety Department collected 29 samples from 12 units across the city to check the quality and safety of food products during the festive season.During an inspection at Jain Super Namkeen in Naroda, officials found that the unit used approximately 125 kg of cooking oil daily but had not maintained mandatory records of its consumption and disposal.
The unit had also failed to arrange for the collection of used oil by an authorised agency.Following the inspection, officials sealed the premises and placed 1,000 kg of ready namkeen, besan and maida under suspension of stock. Samples of used cooking oil and besan were also collected for laboratory testing.
According to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations, food establishments using more than 50 kg or litres of cooking oil daily for frying must maintain records of oil consumption and disposal.
Cooking oil containing more than 25% Total Polar Compounds (TPC) is prohibited for human consumption.Officials said the TPC level in the seized oil would be determined through laboratory testing. Further legal action will be initiated based on the test results.
The special inspection drive covered sweet shops and food manufacturing units in Bodakdev, Delhi Chakla, Maninagar, Isanpur, Naroda, Chandkheda, Idgah, Jodhpur, Sarkhej and Bapunagar.Samples were collected from a range of products, including kaju katri, mohanthal, kalakand, barfi, rasgulla, farsan, edible oils, besan, spices and food colours.
The outlets inspected included Bhavnagari Sweet Mart in Bodakdev, Krishna Sweet Mart near Delhi Chakla, Shree Nagar Chavana and Sweet Mart in Maninagar, Shree Ram Chavana and Sweet Mart in Isanpur, Gwalia Sweets in Naroda, and Amrut Mithai Junction and Hira Mishthan in Chandkheda, among others.
The AMC is conducting intensified inspections ahead of Diwali to monitor food quality and prevent the sale of unsafe or adulterated products during the festive season.