Bihar’s food safety drive has uncovered adulterated milk, contaminated paneer, toxic food colouring, spoiled ingredients and 35,454 packaged drinking-water bottles carrying labels of prominent brands, prompting prosecution in 13 cases across the state.
The health department conducted the enforcement campaign from August 27 to October 1 on the directions of health minister Nishant Kumar and under the guidance of health secretary-cum-food safety commissioner Kumar Ravi. Officials inspected food establishments, collected samples and checked compliance with prescribed safety and hygiene standards.
More than 812 samples were collected from different districts, covering milk and dairy products, sweets, spices, edible oils, beverages, bakery items and packaged drinking water. Laboratory testing found several samples adulterated, contaminated or otherwise unsafe. Turmeric powder collected from Araria, Bhojpur and Patna was found to contain metanil yellow and lead chromate. Officials said the substances were unsafe for consumption and that lead exposure can affect the nervous system and organs including the kidneys.
The inspections also found bakery products and other food items contaminated with fungus, moulds and bacteria. Officials destroyed spoiled chhena, peda, sonpapdi, cakes and milk laced with formalin, along with expired cold drinks and carbonated beverages without expiry dates. In Vaishali and West Champaran, 72 kg of spoiled paneer was destroyed, while about 105 kg of contaminated paneer was destroyed in Muzaffarpur. Spoiled sweets and cakes were also destroyed in Munger, Purnia and Madhepura.
Several individual actions highlighted the range of violations found during the drive. At an establishment in Aurangabad, officials seized substandard paneer containing formalin. In Jehanabad, coriander powder containing a prohibited dye was found on September 30. At a sauce-manufacturing unit in Dehri on September 22, officials seized 200 kg of rotten tomato pulp, 240 bottles of expired chilli sauce and 120 bottles of expired tomato sauce. Insects were found around containers holding sauce at the unit. In Fatuha, in Patna district, 120 litres of milk containing formalin were seized.
The department also intensified inspections of packaged drinking-water units in Vaishali and Begusarai. The checks covered FSSAI licences, labels, batch numbers, manufacturer details and other mandatory requirements. Officials seized one-litre and 500-ml bottles that were found to be falsely labelled with prominent brand names.
Kumar Ravi said enforcement would be intensified, particularly during the festive season, when demand for sweets and other food products increases. “People in Bihar are increasingly consuming cooked food products purchased from the market. Adulterated food, particularly products containing heavy metals, can cause serious health problems, including cancer. We are intensifying the drive and also conducting sensitisation programmes to create awareness among consumers,” he said.
The department’s next steps are to continue enforcement and consumer-awareness programmes, with additional checks expected during the festive season.
