COIMBATORE: Following instructions from the food safety department and intensified inspections ahead of Deepavali, several branded sweet and savoury manufacturers have started displaying expiry dates on individual products. However, unregistered units and cottage industries supplying products in bulk to shops continue to violate food safety norms, raising concerns over the quality of sweets and savouries sold during the festive season.
Coimbatore Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar has instructed manufacturers, wholesale dealers, retailers and seasonal vendors to strictly adhere to food safety regulations.
According to the district administration, all food business operators must possess a valid FSSAI licence or registration certificate. Temporary sweet stalls, sales in marriage halls and individuals preparing sweets at home on orders must also obtain permission from the Food Safety Department.
Manufacturers have been instructed to use quality raw materials and maintain hygienic conditions. Adulterated ingredients and excessive colours must not be used in sweets, while artificial colourants are prohibited in savoury items.
They must also display details of the oil and ghee used in preparation. Used cooking oil should not be reused for frying and must be handed over to authorised agencies under the government's RUCO scheme for conversion into biodiesel.
As per FSSAI guidelines, shops must display the use-by dates of products kept for sale. Milk-based sweets, which have a shorter shelf life, must be stored separately and not packed along with other varieties in gift boxes.
Food safety department officials led by the Designated Officer Dr T Anuradha, have intensified inspections and initiated legal action against violators. Department sources said several established brands had started complying with the guidelines, while many unregistered manufacturers and cottage industries continued to flout the norms.
A food safety department official who is part of the drive said inspections were being conducted at manufacturing units and legal action was being initiated against those operating without mandatory licences or permissions.
"Most of these units operate only during the festive season. They neither obtain licences nor follow the prescribed food safety guidelines. Identifying such units is a major challenge for the department. Many of them manufacture sweets and savouries in bulk and supply them to small retail shops without fulfilling even the basic formalities," the official said.
