New Delhi: Signs of pest activity and employees handling food without gloves in a sweet house’s storage area in Okhla Phase-II, open dustbins in a Naraina unit and improperly stored food items in a freezer at IP Extension were among the lapses found by Delhi govt’s food safety department during inspections ahead of the festive season.The inspections revealed shortcomings in hygiene, cleanliness, food storage and compliance with prescribed food safety standards at several sweet manufacturing units and related establishments across the capital, said a senior official. The department also collected samples of sweets and other food products for laboratory testing.In Okhla Phase-II, inspectors found that the water testing report was unavailable. In Badli Industrial Area, two establishments were found lacking in the display of FSSAI licences, training of food handlers and packaging-related documentation.At a unit in Naraina, inspectors found employees’ clothes kept in the work area and no insect-proof mesh on windows. Water and product testing reports were also unavailable. Another unit in the area had cobwebs on the chimney, inadequate measures to prevent the entry of pests and no designated space for employees to keep personal belongings. The prepared premix was also not labelled with its manufacturing date.In IP Extension, inspectors noted peeling ceiling plaster, the absence of insect-proof mesh on windows and grease accumulation on the exhaust system. Moreover, food items stored in the freezer were not properly segregated and labelled.The department also found unsatisfactory hygiene and cleanliness at a sweet manufacturing unit in Vidya Vihar (Hastsal) Industrial Area, while improvements were needed at an outlet in Uttam Nagar. Several hygiene and cleanliness shortcomings were reported at an establishment in Chandni Chowk while at two manufacturing units in Narela Industrial Complex, inspectors found lapses in compliance with prescribed standards.Samples collected during the inspections included khoya, rasbhari, barfi, milk cake, boondi dana, kesar rasbhari, aloo bhujia, ghee, palak boondi, boondi laddoos, kaju bites, kaju barfi and khajoor barfi. Samples of yellow-coloured rasmalai and fat emulsion used in cake preparation were also collected.The department collected samples of pista barfi and khoya in Chandni Chowk, kesar peda on Mathura Road, almonds in Okhla and peda in Patparganj Industrial Area too. No specific hygiene lapses were mentioned at these establishments in the inspection findings.Stressing Delhi govt would not compromise on citizens’ health amid festive celebrations, CM Rekha Gupta said food businesses must take responsibility for hygiene, safe storage, employee training and proper food-handling practices.Further action on the products sampled will be taken on the basis of laboratory test reports, the department said.