Share
With the onset of the festive season, Delhi is already in a frenzy over getting a taste of different sweets and delicacies, but somehow, increased intake of food also increases the risk of adulteration, which could mar the festive spirit. Knowing this, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has taken proactive steps to make sure the food on your plate is safe and free of harmful contaminants. Recently, FSSAI held a surveillance drive at Delhi's bustling Gole Market as part of its ongoing pre-festive food-testing initiative. It will ensure that public health remains safe since it rigorously tests different varieties of food products, including sweets, so that consumers can relish their festival items of sweets without any hassle. This is an initiative of FSSAI across the country to ensure high food safety standards during this period when the rush for festivals remains at its peak.
As the festive season sets in, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India steps up its vigil to ensure that the food consumed during this period is free from adulteration. Under this umbrella, a major initiative is the present drive of surveillance across the country, which reached the heart of Delhi, the capital.
The FSSAI conducted an extensive inspection at Gole Market, one of the famous marketplaces of Delhi. Of course, the motive was very clear: to test and check the safety of various food items, especially those in high demand during festivals. This includes traditional sweet dishes like Kalakand, which are prepared with milk products and hence most vulnerable to adulteration.
The inspection team of FSSAI collected samples from different food outlets to test their quality and check for safety standards. In the case of Kalakand, on the spot testing was done by officials who checked for starch adulteration, generally found in milk-based products. The method followed was that the officials added some distilled water and added iodine solution to it. Since no colour change occurred, it indicated that starch adulteration was not found, thus the Kalakand was completely safe for consumption.
The Gole Market drive forms part of a larger initiative of FSSAI to ensure the health safety of the public during this festive season when the consumption of food items goes up considerably. Hence, the drive becomes very important, which prevents any probable food safety issues and allows consumers to enjoy their festive treats with a free mind. The strict checking by FSSAI is not limited to only Delhi; such drives are conducted in the rest of the country, including Mumbai. According to the officials of the Food Safety Department, the drive in Mumbai has been focusing on the training of food handlers and street vendors for high hygiene maintenance.
FSSAI's Chief Executive Officer G Kamala Vardhana Rao has underlined the criticality of such pre-festive checks, outlining the cultural and economic importance of food at this time. The efforts of the authority are not merely about immediate safety but also have to do with long-term improvements in food safety practices across India. Other than testing, the FSSAI is also encouraging the setting up of healthy and hygienic food streets, especially in a place like Mumbai, where street food forms a big part of its culinary identity.
It also envisages the use of mobile food testing vans, known as 'Food Safety on Wheels,' to strengthen the on-the-spot adulteration testing capacity. This move is highly relevant for densely populated areas where demands for foodstuffs are very high and chances of adulteration are still greater.
The overall pre-festival checks undertaken by FSSAI in pan-India are highly essential in making sure that the food one consumes during this festival month is safe, hygienic, and free of contaminants. In indulging in the pleasures of the season, people can do so with the knowledge that FSSAI works very hard behind the scenes in protecting health.
