Jaipur: Food safety teams have intensified inspections across Rajasthan as demand for sweets, ghee and edible oil surged ahead of Diwali. Over the past four days, the health department has seized food items and collected samples for quality testing.In Jaipur, the Food Safety Department destroyed 3,180 kg of rotten raisins and 480 packets of walnuts during an inspection at a cold storage warehouse in Jaipur’s Jhotwara industrial area under the state govt’s ‘Shuddh Aahar–Milawat Par Vaar’ campaign.Officials said the raisins and walnuts had been stored for nearly seven to eight years and were found unfit for human consumption. Representatives of the firms concerned, M/s Archana Enterprises and Delhi Trading Company, were called to the spot, and the material was destroyed with their consent to prevent it from entering the market.In a separate action at the same location, the department collected a sample of black pepper from M/s Mateshwari Trading Company for testing under the Food Safety and Standards Act. Acting on suspicion of adulteration, officials seized 1,018 kg of black pepper. Further action will be taken after the team gets the laboratory test report.In Balotra, the medical and health department raided establishments in Krishi Upaj Mandi and seized 3,133 kg of suspected Durga brand mustard oil and 209 kg of suspected Ashish brand ghee. Samples of jaggery and mustard oil were collected from a trading company, while ghee samples were taken from Mahavir Traders. Ahead of Diwali,In Udaipur, department teams exposed a racket allegedly producing and selling adulterated ghee. Officials said further legal action will follow after test results confirm adulteration under food safety rules. The drive is part of intensified festival-season surveillance statewide.Principal Secretary (health and medical education) Gayatri Rathore has directed officials to accelerate the ‘Shuddh Aahar-Milawat Par Vaar’ campaign across Rajasthan in view of the Diwali festive season.Rathore said protecting public health is govt’s highest priority. She instructed officials to take strict action against those involved in adulterating food items and endangering people’s health.The health department will pay special attention to food manufacturing units during quality checks. There will be focused inspections in markets and commercial establishments from where people commonly purchase food items, especially during the festive season.
