Ludhiana: 30 samples of khoya, paneer sent for testing during food safety checks

The team inspected establishments in Model Town, Habibowal, Tajpur Road, Pakhowal Road, Dhandari, Mullanpur and Akhowal Road, among other areas

The Ludhiana food safety team collected 30 samples of khoya and paneer during checks at sweet shops, dairies and food manufacturing units across the district on September 11, 12 and 13.

Food safety t during the inspection in Ludhiana on Monday. (HT Photo)

The samples have been sent to a food laboratory for testing. The team inspected establishments in Model Town, Habibowal, Tajpur Road, Pakhowal Road, Dhandari, Mullanpur and Akhowal Road, among other areas.

District health officer Dr Ashish Chawla said, “The demand for khoya, paneer, milk, sweets and other milk-based products increases during the festive season, making regular checks important to prevent the sale of adulterated or substandard food.”

“During the inspections, officials checked the quality of raw materials, food preparation, storage conditions, cleanliness and hygiene at the establishments. Food business operators were also instructed to maintain proper hygiene, keep food covered, use quality raw materials and store milk products such as khoya and paneer at appropriate temperatures. They were further directed to keep raw and cooked food separately and protect food from dust, insects and other sources of contamination,” Chawla added.

The district health officer said that legal action would be taken against food business operators if any violation or adulteration was found in the laboratory reports. He also appealed to consumers to check the quality, packaging, labelling and expiry dates of food products before purchasing them, adding that checks and sampling would continue in the coming days to ensure safe and hygienic food is available to consumers.