Expired ingredients, unlabelled flavours worth ₹4 lakh seized from food manufacturing unit in Hyderabad
The Commissioner’s Task Force, Shamshabad Zone, apprehended two persons for manufacturing food products using expired raw materials and unlabelled flavours at Bongloor in Ranga Reddy
The Commissioner’s Task Force, Shamshabad Zone, apprehended two persons for manufacturing food products using expired raw materials and unlabelled flavours at Bongloor in Ranga Reddy district. The accused were identified as Mohammed Khaleed, 38, proprietor of KSM Food Products, and Santosh Kumar, 44, the manager of the unit. Based on credible information about violations of food safety norms, the Task Force raided the unit at Bongloor Village under Adibatla Municipality and found food products being manufactured in unhygienic conditions.
Police seized around 1,560 jars of soanpapdi and cotton soanpapdi valued at ₹2.26 lakh. They also seized 240 jars of palli patti or chikki worth ₹34,800. The seized material also included unlabelled flavours and ingredients such as dairy milk, banana, fresh milk, table butter and milky butter, along with four packets of cocoa powder and around 670 kgs of unlabelled jaggery. Officials also found expired or improperly labelled ingredients, including 72 bags of 999 Maida weighing 50 kg each.
The expired maida alone was valued at ₹1.08 lakh. Other seized material included CEC flavour, cashews and coconut powder. The total value of the food products and raw materials seized was estimated at ₹4.07 lakh. According to police, Khaleed decided to use expired raw materials and unlabelled food ingredients to cut costs and make money. Santosh Kumar allegedly assisted him in the operation. The Task Force subsequently handed over the accused and seized material to the H-FAST team and Food Safety Officer Rakesh for further action.
The accused and the seized material were later handed over to Adibatla police. Adibatla police registered a case. Further investigation is under way. Police appealed to consumers to check manufacturing and expiry or best-before dates, batch numbers, ingredients and labels before purchasing packaged food, and to report suspected manufacture or sale of expired, adulterated or unhygienically handled food products.
The BriefWire