Ahmedabad, July 2 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) intensified food safety enforcement across the city in June, collecting 709 food samples from businesses and carrying out inspections at 1,877 food establishments, with 46 samples subsequently declared unsafe or substandard under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

According to the civic body, the Food Department collected samples between June 1 and June 30 from a wide range of food categories, including cold beverages, sugarcane juice, mango milkshake and watermelon juice, milk and milk products, sweets, bakery products, namkeen, gram flour, refined flour, cereals, edible oils, spices and other food items.

The largest category comprised 229 samples from miscellaneous food products, followed by 121 samples of milk and milk products and 101 samples of spices.

Of the 46 samples that failed quality standards, two were declared unsafe and court cases will be filed against the concerned Food Business Operators under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The remaining 44 samples were classified as substandard, and proceedings will be initiated before the Adjudicating Officer against the respective operators.

The department also inspected 1,877 food business establishments across different zones of Ahmedabad during the month.

It issued 545 notices for violations of food safety regulations, destroyed approximately 2,748 kilograms and 1,269 litres of unhygienic food stock, recovered administrative charges amounting to Rs 10,29,500, and conducted 387 Total Polar Compound (TPC) tests to assess the quality of edible oils used by food businesses.

As part of its monitoring of street food hygiene, the corporation has implemented a QR code-based public feedback system for registered street vendors and roadside food stalls.

Each registered vendor receives an individual QR code that customers can scan to submit feedback on hygiene and cleanliness, with the responses used to monitor vendors and improve food quality standards.

More than 10,000 street food vendors have been registered under the initiative across the city’s various zones.

Based on public feedback received through the QR code system, the five highest-rated vendors so far are Facebook Panipuri near Anand Party Plot in Sardarnagar, Agrawal Kachori Centre near Delhi Darwaza in Shahibaug, Krishna Pakodi Centre near Jeevan Super Market in Ramol, Taste of South opposite the Gujarati School in Vatva, and Jai Kishan Pakodi Centre opposite Bhagwati Jewellers in Khokhra.

“QR codes are issued to all registered food vendors and action is taken against establishments that fail to display them. Businesses operating without food registration are also directed to complete the registration process,” officials said.

During enforcement operations in June, officials sealed 450 kilograms of parcel chuna valued at approximately Rs 22,500 and 508 kilograms of rifa, kapasiya valued at around Rs 73,660 as part of action taken to maintain food safety and quality standards.

The Food Department also sealed four food establishments during the month. Munna Chinese & Mughlai in Maktampura area was sealed on June 3 after inspectors found unhygienic conditions and violations of Schedule 4 hygiene requirements.

A Coffee Stand in Navrangpura area was sealed on June 6 after insects were found inside the kitchen and hygiene norms were not being followed.

Shree Matangi Dairy & Food Products in Kathwada was sealed on June 10 for operating without a food safety licence, maintaining unhygienic conditions and failing to comply with Schedule 4 provisions.

On June 20, Shree Vrushti Trading, a parcel chuna business in Kathwada, was sealed for operating without the required licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and for unhygienic conditions.

The AMC said inspections will continue in the coming weeks to verify hygiene standards, licences and registrations at food business establishments.

–IANS

mys/rad