COIMBATORE: In a bid to curb the adulteration of sweets ahead of the Deepavali festival, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed its block-level officers to intensify the surveillance of sweet retailers and manufacturers across Coimbatore district.
“Since dairy products are the most commonly adulterated item, we have directed our officers to step up the surveillance of sweet shops. Moreover, the consumption of sweets goes up during the Deepavali festival. Hence, we have been directed to conduct surprise inspections of shops and collect samples to check the quality. Action will be taken against those who are non-compliant with quality norms,” said a senior official from the department.
The officer added that they have already issued a set of guidelines to sweet manufacturers, which should be followed during their production ahead of the festival session. As per the guidelines, the products must be made hygienically using unadulterated and quality ingredients.
“A fine of Rs 12,000 will be imposed under Section 58 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, if found using prohibited single-use plastic packaging. Colouring agents must be used only within the permissible limit. Action will be taken against manufacturers who fail to comply,” he further said.
According to sources, the FSSAI department has received several complaints about the excess level of synthetic colour found in the sweets available at some stalls in the city.
Manufacturers are also mandated to print details of oil, ghee, vanaspati and other ingredients used to make the sweet and savoury varieties, on the packaging.
The officer added it should contain the full address of the manufacturer, the name of the food product, the manufacturing date, and the expiry date.