The Delhi government has seized more than 322 kg of ghee and 75.53 litres of the product during festive-season inspections of stores promoting steep discounts on social media, while food samples from several outlets have been sent for laboratory testing.
The inspections were conducted by the Food Safety Department at establishments advertising offers such as ‘Buy One, Get One Free’ and discounts of up to 60 per cent. Officials collected samples to examine suspected adulteration, substandard quality and violations involving product labelling.
At Maxcart Store and Aggarwal Store in Vikaspuri, the department collected five enforcement samples of ghee from different brands and five surveillance samples of other food products. During inspections at Maxcart Store and Aggarwal Store in Hastal village, officials seized 75.53 litres and 246 kg of ghee, respectively.
Three enforcement samples of ghee sold under the Shri Shan, Vrinda Farms and Avtar brands were collected at the Hastal outlet. The department also recorded food-safety compliance shortcomings at the establishments inspected.
The enforcement drive extended beyond ghee. Two samples of sugar-boiled confectionery were collected from Sahib Sons on Library Road in Azad Market, operating under the trade name Vicon International, over suspected incorrect labelling. Samples of makhana and turmeric powder were collected from Jain Store in Lajpat Nagar. At Yug Basket Private Limited in Rithala, officials sampled two varieties of biscuits, soft candy and sugar-based candy.
The collected samples have been sent to laboratories for testing. The department said further action would be taken according to the findings and applicable law. The laboratory results will determine whether the products meet required food-safety and labelling standards.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the festive season should not involve any compromise on food quality or public health. She said the government was committed to curbing adulteration, the sale of substandard and expired products, and incorrect labelling.
The inspections also put the responsibility on consumers to examine products before purchase. Gupta advised buyers to check food quality, packaging, manufacturing dates and expiry dates, particularly when stores are promoting unusually large discounts during the festive period. The next formal step in the cases is the release and examination of the laboratory findings, followed by action under applicable law.
