Ahmedabad, Aug 2 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has suspended the sale of more than 1,700 kg of ghee after a laboratory test declared a sample of a branded cow ghee substandard, prompting a wider investigation into its distribution chain.
According to the AMC’s Health Department on Saturday, a sample of Pure Cow Desi Ghee (Agni) was collected on July 20 from the premises of trader Janak Modi at Kalupur Ghee Bazaar under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The sample was sent to the Public Health Laboratory, which subsequently declared it substandard.
Based on the laboratory findings, the Health Food Department carried out a follow-up inspection on Saturday and traced the product’s distribution to Rishabh Ghee Bhandar, located at Ramnagar locality of Sabarmati.
The establishment is owned by Ashokkumar Bagarecha. During the inspection, food safety officials collected fresh samples from two products for laboratory analysis: Pure Desi Ghee (Agni) in 15 kg tin and Pure Cow Desi Ghee (Agni) in 15 kg tin.
The remaining stock of both products was immediately suspended from sale pending further action.
The civic body said it had suspended 1,094 kg of Agmark Pure Desi Ghee (Agni), valued at Rs 7,00,835, and 674 kg of Pure Cow Desi Ghee (Agni), valued at Rs 4,42,443. In total, 1,768 kg of ghee worth Rs 11,43,278 has been withheld from sale.
As the products are manufactured outside Gujarat, the AMC said it has informed the designated food safety officer of the concerned state through e-mail.
The Food and Drugs Department in Gandhinagar, has also been notified so that further action can be taken by the appropriate authorities.
“The Food Department team of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation will carry out intensive inspections of all food business establishments in the coming days with regard to hygienic conditions as well as licence/registration compliance. If any establishment is found operating without a licence/registration or violating the prescribed rules during the inspections, strict action will be taken against it under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) and the GPMC Act,” the civic body noted.
The action forms part of the civic body’s ongoing food safety enforcement drive aimed at ensuring compliance with food quality standards and regulatory requirements across food business establishments in Ahmedabad.
–IANS
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