Srinagar, July 31: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Jammu and Kashmir, has launched a major enforcement drive against unsafe and misbranded food products, seizing food items worth more than ₹15 lakh from different parts of the Union Territory after detecting serious violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
According to official sources, four brands of ghee—Dairy Mohan, Apna Dairy Milk, Sahi Taj, and Milk Bite—were declared unsafe for human consumption by the National Food Laboratory, Ghaziabad, prompting immediate enforcement action by the department.
Acting on the laboratory findings, the Designated Officer, Food Safety, Anantnag, seized 1,250 litres of unsafe ghee belonging to the affected batch numbers, valued at approximately ₹4.88 lakh, and issued a Prohibition Order under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The department has also prohibited the sale and distribution of the affected batches to safeguard public health.
The FDA further stated that Food Safety Teams across the Jammu Division conducted extensive inspections and collected three additional samples of the affected ghee brands for laboratory analysis. These samples have been sent to NABL-accredited laboratories to verify their quality and safety standards.
As a preventive measure, the department also seized an additional 1,277 litres of ghee, valued at around ₹4.97 lakh, pending receipt of laboratory reports to ensure that potentially unsafe products do not reach consumers.
2,600 Kg Misbranded Frozen Meat Seized in Srinagar
In another major operation, the Food Safety Team Srinagar inspected seven establishments dealing in meat and meat products across the city.
During the inspections, officials seized 2,600 kilograms of frozen meat, valued at approximately ₹5.98 lakh, from an establishment located at Bubghair, Kawadara, Srinagar.
The FDA said the frozen meat was found to be misbranded, as the contents of the packages did not match the declarations printed on the labels, violating mandatory labelling provisions under the Food Safety and Standards Act and related regulations.
Officials further stated that the meat was allegedly stored under unsanitary and unhygienic conditions, posing a potential threat to public health and consumer safety.
Following the violations, the department has filed a complaint before the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar (Adjudicating Officer) under Section 61 of the Food Safety and Standards Act for furnishing false or misleading information on food labels and Section 56 for storing food under unhygienic conditions.
The FDA said Section 61 provides for a penalty of up to ₹10 lakh, while Section 56 carries a penalty of up to ₹1 lakh for violations related to unhygienic storage of food products.
Reiterating its commitment to ensuring food safety, the Food and Drugs Administration urged consumers to remain vigilant and immediately report the sale of prohibited ghee batches or any suspected cases of unsafe, adulterated, or misbranded food by contacting the Toll-Free Helpline 104 or emailing cfsjandk.fnd@jk.gov.in.
The department said it will continue intensified inspections and strict enforcement measures across Jammu and Kashmir to protect public health and ensure compliance with food safety laws. (KNC)
