AMC inspected 22 units across Ahmedabad on Tuesday, Aug 25
In 99% of such cases, it’s aluminium, which poses serious health risks,” said an AMC official.
To ensure they get safe, good quality and adulteration-free food, AMC’s health and food safety department will test key parameters on the spot,” an official said. The items will be tested for fake varakh, non-food-grade artificial colours, starch in mawa, vegetable fats in ghee, synthetic saffron, analogue dairy products besides the quality of oil used in frying savouries, AMC said. “Often, kaju katri and other sweets do not have pure silver foil. “Samples of the foil taken from the Kalupur unit have been sent for laboratory testing. We suspect that too to be aluminium. Inquiries are also underway to find where such foil is manufactured,” the official added. “During festivals, people in Ahmedabad buy sweets, namkeen/farsan, biscuits, cookies and other food items in large quantities.
In a separate action on Tuesday, the godown of Shri Balaji Mawawala in Dariapur was sealed for operating without a licence and for unhygienic conditions.
On Tuesday, during inspections at 22 units making sweets and other edible items for upcoming Rakshabandhan, AMC teams, through an on-site rapid test kit, found that the foil that Shri Kanhaiyalal Mawawala in Kalupur had on its kaju katri was another metal. Earlier, lab results on samples taken during festival seasons would take 15-20 days.
Not any more, says AMC, which has equipped seven teams with rapid testing kits for spot inspections on sweets as it intensifies action against adulteration. Ahmedabad: Festive season is round the corner, bringing traditional sweets into the centre stage. But a word of caution before you pass around that box of kaju katri. The chandi varakh that adds richness to a sweet’s flavour and look, and is taken as a mark of purity, may not be silver at all. The unit has been sealed. The health and food safety department found that the consignment originated from a sweet-making factory operating from a house in the Gujarat Housing Board colony in Bapunagar. When the health team raided the location, the operator fled the scene. The house too has been sealed.
You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Ahmedabad | Silver Rate in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad | Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Petrol Price in Ahmedabad | Diesel Price in Ahmedabad | CNG Price in Ahmedabad | LPG Price in Ahmedabad Stay updated with the latest Ahmedabad news. AMC has asked food business operators (FBOs), makers of sweets and farsans, dairy producers and other food vendors to exercise extra caution during the festive season. FBOs must ensure they use only approved raw materials, permitted food colours and ingredients compliant with prescribed standards. AMC has made it clear that strict action will be taken if public health is compromised. BOX Rapid testing to foil adulteration plans Rapid testing kits have been given to seven AMC teams Immediate action will follow if any food item appears suspicious. BOX2 Quick At-Home Tests The Fire Test: Scrape some foil off the sweet and burn it. Pure silver turns into a shiny, tiny ball. Aluminium burns instantly and turns into a dark grey or black ash. The Rub Test: Rub the foil between your fingers. Pure silver leaf is extremely fragile and breaks apart into microscopic dust that absorbs into your skin. Aluminium foil will tear like paper or roll into small, solid flakes. The Acid Test: Place a small piece of the foil in a drop of concentrated hydrochloric acid (or a strong toilet cleaner). Aluminium dissolves rapidly and releases gas bubbles. Silver will not react or dissolve. Source: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) DART (Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test) guidelines. Download the TOI App.
