THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Food Safety Department plans to take strict action towards hotels which violate food safety norms. Adhering to the information from the commissioner of Food Safety, stringent actions will be taken against the adulteration of the food in the district, said Dileep C L, assistant commissioner of food safety. "The Amaravila and Poovar checkposts were inspected recently with increased complaints concerning the addition of adulterants in fish. No content of formalin was detected in the lab test," said Dileep.
According to Pooja Ravindran, food safety officer of Thiruvananthapuram circle, around 40 to 50 complaints are being received every month. "Most complaints we receive stress the unhygienic atmosphere in hotels," she said. However, the complaints regarding the seasonal fruits, water cans, stale foods and adulterated food are also a major concern. "Those concerned will be in trouble if we detect fraudulence in the lab test," she said.
Pooja said preservation of fish using ice is more reliable compared to other methods. A kilogram of fish needs an equivalent quantity of ice to preserve it. "In the absence of ice, the fish gets spoilt due to microbial reactions," she said. Citing the common misconception among people about fish storage, Pooja said, "People tend to avoid purchasing fish stored in ice, unaware that it is the safest way to preserve fish."
Food Safety Week Celebrations
According to food safety experts, one must be aware about the manufacturing and expiry dates, ingredients, artificial flavouring and colours. As part of the week-long food safety celebrations in the district, the district food safety office is organising awareness programmes to educate the public.
The highlight of the week is the mobile food safety labs arranged in the district. "Mobile food safety labs at Neyyattinkara, Attingal, Venjaramoodu and Nedumangad were utilised by the public. The labs have been set up aiming to help people find adulteration in oil, milk, water and other food items," said Kavitha Sankar, food safety officer. Food safety awareness among hotels and shops will be conducted in Medical college, Thampanoor and Karamana region on Thursday.
Educating the public
As part of the week-long food safety celebrations in the district, the district food safety office is organising awareness programmes to educate the public. The highlight of the week is the mobile food safety labs arranged in the district to detect adulteration in oil, milk and water.