CHENNAI: Health Minister Ma Subramanian has ordered food safety officials to conduct inspection at all restaurants across the state following the death of a 14-year-old girl and hospitalisation of around 40 people in Namakkal district owing to suspected food poisoning. The minister also sought an explanation from the district designated officer and food safety officer on the issue.
Subramanian ordered the officials to check if the restaurants have been following food safety guidelines. Awareness will also be spread on safety among public and food traders. Quality of food will be checked and restaurants will be fined if they are found to be serving substandard food. The restaurants will either be sealed or their licence will be cancelled depending on the nature, he said in a release.
From April to August, the food safety department had conducted 38,191 inspections of which 1,478 were in Namakkal district alone. A total of 7,825 statutory food samples were taken across Tamil Nadu of which 214 were taken in Namakkal district. Also 27,151 surveillance food samples were taken of which 688 were from Namakkal district. A total of 1,894 cases were filed across Tamil Nadu and `1.55 crore fine was collected. Of this, 66 cases and a fine of `5.79 lakh were from Namakkal.
Subramanian also said food safety officials across Tamil Nadu were instructed on August 28 to conduct inspection on easily perishable food, including shawarma. Following the order, a total of 280kg of spoilt food were seized and destroyed. Lab report of food samples taken from the Namakkal restaurant will arrive by this weekend, the release said.
Meanwhile, 10 surveillance teams have been formed in Namakkal district. They inspected 299 hotels and shops and served notice on 10 shops for unhygienic condition. According to designated food safety officer KC Arun, each team has a food safety officer, a health inspector and a sanitary inspector.
Meanwhile, Srinivasan of Ramapuram Pudhur in Namakkal, who allegedly supplied chicken to the restaurant, was arrested on Tuesday evening. Three persons, including the restaurant owner and two cooks, were arrested on Monday.
Inspection was also conducted at 68 hotels in Salem and Erode districts on Tuesday. Officials said 33 hotels in Salem were inspected, out of which 20 were found to have unhygienic food items. Officials destroyed 182 kg of chicken, 17 kg of cooked and stored rice, 18 kg of banned plastics and 2 kg of shawarma. Ten hotels have been issued notice seeking explanation.
Officials inspected 35 hotels in Erode and suburbs. A total of 34 kg of chicken was seized. Eight hotels have been issued notices seeking explanation and levied a fine of Rs 2000 each. ThangaVignesh, district nominating officer of Food Safety Department, said people can complain about the quality of food at 944042322.”
Food safety dept seizes over 21 kg old chicken
RAMANATHAPURAM: In a series of raids, the food safety department seized over 21 kg of poor quality chicken and 8 kg of rotten fruit kept for sales in eateries on Tuesday. The owners were slapped with a fine. The raids come after the recent death of a child in Namakkal after eating shawarma from a local eatery.
The food safety department inspected six eateries in Mandapam and found 10 kg old fried chicken kept for sales. After issuing a notice, a total of Rs 5,000 was collected as fine. In Keelakarai, the team seized 4.5 kg poor quality fried chicken and 2 kg excessive colouring agents used for dips. The owner was slapped with a fine of Rs 3,000 fine. In Ramanathapuram municipal area, about 6.5 kg of poor quality chicken, 42 kg banned plastic bags and 8 kg rotten fruits were seized by the team. The owners were fined Rs 6,200 and a notice was issued by the department.
District designated officer of food safety department warned eateries not to use old, contaminated and poor quality meat for sale.
(With inputs from Chennai, Namakkal and Salem)