FSSAI steps up surveillance on sweets to check adulteration during Diwali

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed its 4,000-odd state-level officers to intensify the surveillance of sweet retailers and manufacturers across the country to check on the adulteration of sweets during the upcoming Diwali festival. The most commonly adulterated item in India is milk and most sweets are made with dairy.

"Usually, consumption of sweets goes up during Diwali festival. We have directed our officers in the states and Union territories to intensify the surveillance of sweets to check on adulteration," FSSAI CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao told mediapersons on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi.

He said state food safety officials have been asked to inspect the shops and collect the samples to check the quality. They have also been asked to take action against those who have been found to be non-compliant with quality norms. Meanwhile, the FSSAI has increased the number of surveillance samples to 1 lakh this year, and this will increase to 7 lakh next year, he added.

To check the quality of milk and milk products, Rao shared that a national survey is underway jointly by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Quality Council of India. The survey, which will collect about 10,000 samples, will be completed in a month, he added.