LUCKNOW: Food safety officials in Uttar Pradesh inspected about 496 establishments and collected 801 food samples, which have been sent to laboratories for analysis, as part of a statewide enforcement drive targeting manufacturers and distributors of sauces, jams, jellies, mayonnaise, chutneys and other processed food products.According to the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA), the inspections were conducted on June 15 to 16 and July 6 to 7 at manufacturing units, warehouses, stockists and wholesale establishments across the state. Laboratory test results are awaited.The department said it seized 338.61 quintals of food products, valued at around Rs 27.77 lakh, during the operation.It also claimed to have destroyed 259.33 quintals of food items worth about Rs 17.56 lakh after they were found to be unfit for human consumption or stored under unhygienic conditions.FIRs were registered in Shahjahanpur and Unnao. In Shahjahanpur, officials alleged that spoiled fennel seeds were coloured with synthetic dye and sold as fresh, while in Unnao an FIR was filed over the alleged manufacture of fake sauce using synthetic colours.The department also reported action against several food processing units in districts including Lucknow, Kanpur, Ghaziabad, Mathura, Hathras and Muzaffarnagar, where expired or suspected food products were seized or destroyed, and some units were sealed or shut for alleged violations.FSDA said the drive excluded small retailers and food businesses producing less than 50 kg per day.
