Indore Bureau.
Summary: Ahead of Diwali, food safety teams in Indore inspected 11 establishments and collected 26 samples of paneer, mawa, ghee, milk, sweets and oil. All samples have been sent for laboratory testing, and further action will be decided only after the reports arrive. In a joint action with the weights and measures department, cases were also registered at two establishments where unverified weighing equipment and weights were found.
As Diwali approaches, demand for sweets, milk and milk products rises sharply in Indore. With that rise comes a matching concern about quality and adulteration. Keeping this in mind, the district food safety administration has intensified its special inspection drive for the festive season. On 3 November, a joint team of the food safety administration and the weights and measures department inspected establishments across different parts of the city. The drive was carried out under the direction of the state food safety commissioner and controller of the food and drug administration, and under the guidance of the district collector. In a single day, the team inspected 11 establishments and collected 26 samples of different food items.
11 establishments inspected, 26 samples collected in a day
The purpose of the drive was straightforward — to make sure that consumers get pure and safe food during the festival. The team covered dairy and sweet shops as well as establishments dealing in oil and namkeen. The samples included paneer, mawa, ghee, milk, sweets, refined oil, vanaspati, besan and sonpapdi, among other products. The department has made it clear that sample collection is part of routine checking, and no final conclusion about the quality of any product can be drawn until the laboratory report arrives. At this stage, no establishment’s product has been declared bad or adulterated. A sample means a test, not a verdict.
Milk products sampled from Chhota Bangarda, Scheme No. 51 and Chitavad Road
The inspection began in the city’s dairy pockets. From a dairy at Chhota Bangarda, three samples were taken — paneer, traditional sweets and ghee. From another dairy at Scheme No. 51, two samples of paneer and ghee were collected. From a milk and curd outlet at Radhaswami Nagar on Chitavad Road, one sample of milk was taken. These three locations deal directly in the products that see the highest demand during Diwali. Paneer and ghee are used in large quantities in sweets and festive cooking at home, which is why their checking was given priority in the drive. While collecting samples, the team also looked at storage conditions and cleanliness at each outlet.
Oil sample in Musakhedi, unverified weighing equipment seized
In the SDA Compound area of Musakhedi, the team inspected an enterprise on the basis of a complaint received. One sample of a branded refined soybean oil was taken from there. During the checking, the declarations and weight printed on the oil packets were found to be as per the rules. However, the electronic weighing equipment in use at the same establishment was found to be unverified. The weights and measures department seized the equipment and registered a case. In the same area, four samples — mawa, milk cake, rasgulla and kesar peda — were taken from a milk cart. Since cleanliness arrangements there were not found satisfactory, an improvement notice is being issued to the operator. An unverified weight in use at the same outlet was also seized and a case was registered. Musakhedi thus saw two kinds of action in one day — food sampling on one hand, and checking the validity of weighing equipment on the other.
Dal, oil and namkeen sampled from Tukoganj, Pagnishpaga and Khatiwala Tank
The drive was not limited to dairy products. From a food venture at South Tukoganj, one sample of urad dal was collected. During inspection, shortcomings were found in pest control arrangements, and medical fitness certificates of food handlers were not available. A notice is being issued for the necessary improvements. From a trading firm at Pagnishpaga, four samples were taken — vanaspati, refined oil and cooking medium. From a namkeen outlet at Khatiwala Tank, three samples were collected — groundnut oil, besan and sonpapdi. Together, these samples show that the team covered almost every kind of product used in a festive kitchen — milk products, oil, dal and namkeen.
Mawa and paneer sampled from Tejaji Nagar and Khandwa Naka, on-the-spot preliminary tests
At a dairy and sweets outlet in Tejaji Nagar, stored mawa and paneer were put through a preliminary test using a magic box and test kit. Four samples — mawa, paneer, mawa roll and peda — were taken from this outlet. A preliminary test gives only a general indication on the spot; the final decision always rests on the laboratory report. From another milk and curd outlet in the same area, one sample of mixed milk was taken. From a dairy at Khandwa Naka, two samples of gupchup and kesar peda were collected. Adding up all the samples from every location takes the total to 26. The department also said that along with the inspections, street vendors operating around the high court and LIC office premises were given information about food safety and hygiene — safe storage of food items, cleanliness, and compliance with food safety standards.
Further action only after laboratory reports
The department has stated that all 26 samples are being sent to the laboratory for testing. Based on the reports received from the laboratory, further action against the concerned food business operators will be taken as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. This means that until the reports arrive, no product can be declared unsafe. If a sample fails to meet the standards, action will follow as per the rules. If a sample meets the standards, no action will arise. This sequence — first testing, then report, then action — is the foundation of the food safety system.
Why the drive intensified before Diwali
During Diwali, consumption of sweets, mawa, paneer, milk, ghee and namkeen is far higher than at any other time of the year. When demand rises, supply also rises, and the risk of compromise on quality rises with it. That is why the food safety administration runs a special drive every festive season. This time, too, the drive is stated to continue till Diwali. In an earlier phase of the same campaign, 54 samples had already been taken from 15 establishments in Indore and Betma and sent to the state food laboratory in Bhopal. That phase also covered sweets, mawa, paneer, milk, ghee and namkeen. Seen together, the two phases show that the checking net has been cast wide this time, covering the city and its surrounding areas.
What buyers can watch out for
A few general precautions help while buying sweets and milk products during the festival. On packed products, buyers should check the manufacturing and expiry dates, the manufacturer’s name and the licence number. For loose sweets, attention should be paid to the cleanliness of the shop and the storage conditions. For mawa and paneer, freshness can be judged from smell and colour. Taking a bill is also important, because the bill is the proof of purchase in case of any complaint. If there is any doubt about the quality of a product, it is better to contact the concerned department before consuming it. These precautions are not a judgment on any single shop or product; they are general safety measures for every buyer.
What next: inspections to continue till Diwali
The department has said that inspection and sample collection will continue through the festive season to ensure the quality and purity of food items. This means similar checks may take place in other parts of the city in the coming days. For consumers, it is reassuring that the administration is active before the festival. For traders, the message is that cleanliness, proper storage, valid weighing equipment and products that meet the standards are the safest course. Diwali will be celebrated on 8 November, and before that Dhanteras and Govatsa Dwadashi will also bring a further rise in demand for purchase and puja-related products. This drive has thus become an important part of the festival preparations.
Disclaimer: This story has been prepared on the basis of available sources and verification. If any fact is found to be incorrect, a correction will be published.
