Indore food safety officials have shut an unlicensed gulab jamun instant mix manufacturing unit and collected food samples from several hotels and establishments during inspections across the city ahead of the festive season.
The action was taken at Annapurna Industries in Udyog Nagar, Musakhedi, on Nemawar Road, where officials found gulab jamun instant mix being manufactured and packed under an expired food registration. The registered residential address was also different from the manufacturing premises, according to the report.
Officials collected samples of two brands from the unit and stopped production. Manufacturing can resume only after the operator obtains a valid registration, the report said. The samples will be sent to the State Food Testing Laboratory in Bhopal, with further action to follow under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, based on the laboratory findings.
The inspections also covered food establishments in the bus stand and Navlakha areas. At Shivsagar Bhojnalaya and Shivsagar Restaurant & Cafe in Navlakha, the food safety team found poorly maintained kitchens and noted that the establishments did not have water test reports, pest control certificates or medical fitness certificates for food handlers.
Officials removed rusted utensils and chopping boards from the premises and ordered repairs to a greasy and broken floor. A sample of Flexi Creme Delight cream was collected from Shivsagar Restaurant. The establishment was also inspected after a complaint that a cockroach had been seen on a dining table and that the issue had not been addressed. Officials directed the restaurant to undertake pest control through a trained person. The complainant was informed and expressed satisfaction, according to an official release cited in the report.
At Mamaji Gruh Udyog in Musakhedi, inspectors found unsatisfactory cleanliness, raw material stored directly on the floor and inadequate lighting. The unit also did not have medical fitness certificates for its workers. Samples of lollipop and cashew malai toffee were collected for testing.
The inspections combined enforcement with training for food businesses. The Food Safety Administration conducted awareness and training sessions through its mobile testing laboratory at Localite Kitchen and Shivsagar Restaurant. The sessions covered hygiene, protective equipment, product-label checks and safe food-handling practices.
The inspection drive highlights the role of registration, kitchen maintenance, worker certification and laboratory testing in monitoring food businesses during periods of increased festive demand. The immediate action announced by officials includes stopping production at the unlicensed unit, directing corrective measures at inspected restaurants and sending all collected samples to the State Food Testing Laboratory in Bhopal.
Further action will be determined after the testing reports are received under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
