To ensure the availability of clean, safe, and nutritious food for the general public, the Food and Drug Administration Department, under the guidance of Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal and the direction of the Controller, Food and Drug Administration, is carrying out continuous enforcement actions across the state.
As part of this ongoing drive, strict inspections and surveillance are being conducted to curb the sale of adulterated and substandard food products and to ensure compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Extensive Sampling Across Durg Division
In the Durg Division, food safety officials collected legal samples from various districts and sent them to food testing laboratories for analysis:
Durg District: 17 legal samples
Rajnandgaon & Khairagarh–Chhuikhadan–Gandai: 11 legal samples
Bemetara District: 16 legal samples
Balod District: 18 legal samples
Kawardha District: 8 legal samples
Further action will be taken after receiving laboratory reports.
Strict Action Against Adulterated Paneer and Expired Products
Special surveillance was conducted on food items prone to adulteration, particularly paneer and roasted gram (futta chana) found mixed with non-permissible colours.
At Raunak Enterprises, Panika (Rajnandgaon), 460 kg of paneer manufactured using skimmed milk powder and palm oil was destroyed on the spot.
At Vishal Mega Mart, Rajnandgaon, a case was registered after expired products were found during inspection.
Major Seizure in Raipur District
During inspections in Raipur district:
At M/s Gopi Dairy & Sweets, Boria Khurd, 200 kg of sweets were destroyed due to unhygienic manufacturing and storage conditions.
Additionally, 900 kg of khoya-based sweets (Khoya Kalakand and Krishna Barfi) were seized, valued at ₹1.75 lakh.
Paneer Worth ₹14.63 Lakh Seized Across Multiple Establishments
Under a special drive against adulterated paneer, the department seized:
4,450 kg paneer from S.J. Dairy, Nimora
500 kg analog cottage cheese from Kashi Agro Food, Birgaon
500 kg paneer from Vivan Food, Malsay Talab, Professor Colony
The total estimated value of the seized products is ₹14,63,500. Legal samples have been collected and sent for laboratory testing. Action will be taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules, 2011 upon receipt of reports.
Surveillance, Mobile Testing & Awareness Measures
Under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Surveillance Plan, samples of dry fruits (dates and raisins) and various chocolates were collected for testing.
Through mobile food testing laboratories, rapid on-the-spot testing was conducted across the division, and substandard food items were destroyed immediately. Sample collection included:
Durg District: 506 samples
Bemetara District: 68 samples
Balod District: 56 samples
Kawardha District: 119 samples
Food business operators were also sensitised and instructed not to use newspaper for food packaging.
In a recent case in Durg district, a vendor selling substandard lychee juice was fined ₹85,000 by the Hon’ble Court.
