BHUBANESWAR : Amid the nationwide debate over food safety, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has warned that the raids will be intensified on every food-serving establishment in the capital city to ensure hygiene, quality and safety standards are strictly maintained. Even top hotels will not be spared, if found not compliant with the food safety standards, officials said.
The civic administration has started enforcement in vending zones, asking vendors to avoid synthetic colours and wear head caps, besides following other safety and hygiene measures. On Monday, food safety officials raided a hotel and restaurant in Gajapati Nagar and collected three suspicious samples, apart from destroying a small quantity of stale food.
Food safety officer Satyajit Patel said the team also raided another mid-level hotel in the area and destroyed 3 to 4 kg of stale food. “Three samples were collected in total, following raid in the two units,” he said.
He said the urban metropolitan surveillance unit (UMSU) and BMC enforcement team SHINE had also carried out food safety inspections across various food vending zones.
During the inspections, synthetic food colour and stale food items were identified and destroyed on Sunday. Food vendors were also sensitised on maintaining proper hygiene, wearing head caps and following food storage and handling practices.
Patel said, such inspections will continue across Bhubaneswar to ensure food safety and hygiene standards are maintained. “Those found flouting standards will face strong action,” he said.
Sources said, ahead of the festive season, the civic body has planned to mobilise zonal-level squads to crack down on shops and street vendors not maintaining the quality and hygiene standards while serving food to the customers.
