Patna: Bihar has intensified its food safety and enforcement campaign ahead of the festive season, with authorities conducting surprise inspections of food establishments across the state.
The drive is aimed at preventing the sale of adulterated, contaminated, spoiled and expired food products and ensuring that consumers have access to safe and quality food during the period of increased demand.
According to Health Secretary-cum-Food Safety Commissioner Kumar Ravi, the special campaign, which began in the last week of August, has so far resulted in the collection of 417 food samples for laboratory testing.
Milk, Sweets And Spices Among Items Checked
The samples collected include 149 from milk and dairy products, 88 from sweets, 56 from spices and sauces, 33 from beverages, 60 from grains and pulses, 13 from edible oil and 18 from street food.
The department is keeping particular watch on sweets, milk products, cooking oil, spices, beverages and prepared food, which see increased demand during festivals.
The collected samples are being sent for scientific examination to determine whether they meet the required food safety standards.
Spoiled Sweets And Food Items Destroyed
The enforcement campaign has already led to action against food establishments where unsuitable products were found.
Officials reported that spoiled peda, barfi, laddoos and cakes were destroyed during inspections. In Patna, leftover used cooking oil was also ordered to be discarded.
Food establishments have been instructed to maintain proper hygiene, keep food and non-food materials separately, clean utensils regularly and ensure that water used in food preparation is safe.
FIFO And FEFO Rules Enforced
Food businesses have also been directed to follow FIFO (First In, First Out) and FEFO (First Expiry, First Out) systems.
Under these practices, older stock should be used or sold first, while products approaching their expiry date should be prioritised. The measures are intended to reduce the risk of expired or outdated food remaining in storage.
All food establishments have also been instructed to prominently display their FSSAI licence or registration.
Focus On Kitchen Hygiene
The department has directed food establishments to ensure that kitchen workers use gloves and hair nets while handling food.
Officials have also been told to prevent the open sale of spices and take action against the repeated use of cooking oil or old syrup in food preparation.
The instructions are intended to strengthen hygiene standards at food establishments during the festive period, when demand for sweets and prepared food generally rises.
Digital Tracking Of Inspections
Food safety officers have been instructed to conduct regular inspections and take enforcement action wherever violations are found.
Details of inspections, sample collection, testing and enforcement action will be recorded digitally through the FoSCoS portal, allowing the department to monitor the campaign.
The Bihar health department has said that food quality and safety will not be compromised and that inspections and enforcement will continue during the festive season.
The intensified state campaign comes amid wider scrutiny of food safety across India, where regulators have also stepped up inspections and enforcement against unsafe or improperly labelled food products.
