VIJAYAWADA: Officials of Food Safety Department and Vigilance Enforcement have jointly cracked a whip on violators by conducting surprise checks at grocery stores and manufacturing units across the city on Thursday. As part of the raids, officials have seized adulterated ghee and collected samples of various food items for laboratory test.Special teams led by Vigilance DSP R Vijay Paul and Assistant food controller N Purnachandra Rao conducted surprise raids at TPR traders near Machavaram Down and found that shop owner G Trinadha Rao was adulterating Vijaya ghee with sunflower oil. He was supplying the spurious ghee to catering businesses in order and also preparing papads in unhygienic conditions without obtaining permission from food safety officials. Officials seized 66 kg of adulterated ghee and collected the samples
Later, the officials also raided Bhagyalakshmi enterprises in Gandhinagar and found that shop owner A Poornachandra Rao was repacking different types of dry fruits which are unsafe for consumption and rejected for export in Mumbai. A case has been registered by the vigilance officials against the shop owner and stocks worth Rs 25 lakh have been seized.
Officials also found irregularities at Maya foods in Kabela area where the company was making chips similar to Kurkure. Another store called Raj foods in Bhavanipuram was found making almond powder, chocolate paste by using an impermissible amount of food colour.“Upon receiving complaints from the public,the departments jointly conducted surprise raids in the city,” said Purnachandra Rao.