FDA destroys 303 kg of barfi at Dhanore sweet shop in Khed taluka over storage lapses

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Pune, took action on Monday against a sweet shop in Dhanore village of Khed taluka. The FDA seized 303 kg of barfi worth about Rs 1.21 lakh from the shop and destroyed it. The FDA said the sweets were suspected to be of poor quality and had not been stored properly.

The action was taken on November 2 at R. Bikaner Mithai, located in Mauli Complex on Alandi-Markal Road. It is part of the "Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra" campaign, which is being run under Maharashtra's Food Safety Commissioner, Tukaram Mundhe.

During the inspection, officials found 303 kg of barfi, valued at Rs 1,21,200. An open sample of kalakand was also found in the shop. According to the FDA, the barfi was suspected to be sub-standard.

Officials also noted that the sweets were kept at room temperature and carried no labels. The shop also had no purchase bills, meaning there was no paperwork to show where the stock had come from.

Because barfi is perishable, the entire stock was destroyed on the spot. A sample of the kalakand was taken and sent to a laboratory for testing and analysis.

The inspection was carried out by Food Safety Officer H. R. Marewar, under the guidance of regional Assistant Commissioner S. N. Chatte and Joint Commissioner (Food) S. Karkale.

The FDA has appealed to food business operators to store food items properly, follow the mandatory labelling rules, and keep purchase bills and other related documents.