Banaskantha: Authorities in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district have seized 4000 kg of adulterated ghee valued at Rs 17.5 lakh. The seizure occurred after the Food and Drugs Department conducted raids at the premises of Navkar Dairy Products in Deesa and Palanpur. The raids resulted in 11 samples being collected and the ghee being confiscated, which was intended for sale in Rajasthan.
The trader, who had previously been fined for adulterating edible oil, was under scrutiny after the Food and Drug Regulatory Authority issued notices to Navkar Dairy Products for violating the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. Despite being given two opportunities to correct the violations, the company failed to comply, leading to the cancellation of its license. However, during a surprise inspection, authorities found that the company was still producing ghee, raising suspicions of adulteration with soybean oil and interesterified vegetable fat. As a result, 11 samples were taken for testing.
The confiscated ghee was intended for sale during the festive season in Rajasthan and was seized to protect public health. The samples have been sent to a lab for analysis, and further legal actions will be taken based on the results.
This is not the first time the trader has faced legal issues for food adulteration. He had previously been fined Rs 1.25 lakh for adulterating edible oil and Rs 25,000 in a case involving color adulteration in chili powder.
Gujarat has made significant strides in combating food adulteration in recent years, with major seizures and legal actions. Between January 2023 and March 2024, the Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) conducted 15 special drives targeting various food items like ghee, millets, dry fruits, bakery products, and spices. These efforts led to the collection of over 18,000 samples and the seizure of nearly 773 tonnes of suspected adulterated goods worth Rs 5.53 crore. In these operations, 13.8 tonnes of adulterated products were destroyed for safety reasons.
One of the largest operations took place from October 3 to 17, 2024, during the “Food Safety Pakhwada.” Officials conducted raids at 115 locations across Gujarat, leading to the seizure or destruction of about 233 tonnes of suspected adulterated food, including 32 tonnes of inedible ghee worth Rs 3.8 crore. The total value of seized products during this period was estimated at Rs 6.6 crore, and fines totaling Rs 1 crore were collected, with Banaskantha district alone contributing Rs 65 lakh in penalties.
Despite these efforts, challenges remain. According to data presented in Parliament in December 2024, 8.3% of food samples tested in Gujarat from April to September 2024 did not meet safety standards, with 360 out of 4,316 samples found to be non-compliant.
