Mandatory for sweets shops to mention best before date from Oct 1

Aurangabad, Sept 30:
Sweets shops in the city are required to display best before use date in front of sweets when selling sweets in the shops. This rule will be implemented from October 1. The Food and Drug Administration has issued instructions to confectioners in the city. Customers will now be able to see the expiry date of Pedha, Katli, and laddus.

During the festivals of Dussehra and Diwali, khoya and sweets are in great demand. However, eating stale sweets often leads to poisoning. This decision has been made to avoid such malpractices. The FDA has taken these steps following an order from the Food Safety Standards Authority of India. These rules will come into force from October 1. The number of big sweet sellers in Aurangabad city is around 20, while the number of small shops selling sweets is about 150, sources said. According to the order, sellers selling sweets in the open form are required to write the best before use date near the tray of sweets, clearly visible to customers. Although it is not mandatory to give the date of production of sweets, confectioners can voluntarily provide this information to the customers. It is up to the seller to decide how long the sweets can last.

Box:
How many days do sweets last
According to the guidelines, if milk-based sweets like Rabdi, Basundi, Kalakand can be kept in the fridge for one day. Pedha and Barfi can last for two to four days on cold temperature. This may vary depending on the type of dessert, the method of storage and the regional climate.

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Suprise visits to shops
FDA joint commissioner M D Shah said, "The citizens should buy sweets only from trusted shops. Also, sweets should not be stored for many days. Desserts made from milk or khoya should be finished in a day. It is mandatory for all vendors who sell sweets to put up a sign of their expiry date near the tray. We have given such instructions to all the sellers. The department will also pay surprise visits to the shops."