Ahead of Ramzan and the upcoming Holi festival, the Food Safety and Drug Administration in Lucknow carried out a major enforcement drive against adulterated and unsafe food products across the city. Acting on the directives of senior officials, inspection teams raided multiple establishments and collected 15 food samples for laboratory analysis. Authorities said strict legal action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, will be initiated once the test reports are received.
During the raid, officials found nearly 1 quintal and 12 kilograms of expired sonpapdi and rajbhog worth approximately Rs. 45,000. Considering public health concerns, the expired sweets were immediately destroyed on the spot. The department stated that selling expired food items, especially during the festive season, poses serious health risks to consumers.
In addition to the destroyed stock, large quantities of food items were seized. The team confiscated 8,499 kg of black pepper valued at Rs. 53,24,550, 378 kg of khoya worth Rs. 1,13,400, and another 1,538 kg of black pepper valued at Rs. 1,53,800. In total, 10,415 kg of food products worth an estimated Rs. 55,91,750 were seized. Authorities also destroyed an additional 112 kg of food items valued at around Rs. 45,000.
Inspections were conducted at several establishments, including S.R. Sales in Fazullaganj, Mohibullapur (Haldiram storage), Swaroop Cold Storage in Aishbagh, and Globe Cafe in Mahanagar, Lucknow. Samples of items such as kaju katli, assorted peda, rasgulla, gulab jamun, petha, gujiya, sonpapdi, black pepper, khoya, saunf and paneer were collected for testing.
As part of the drive, a special awareness campaign was also conducted through Food Safety on Wheels (FSW) in the Madiaon area on Sitapur Road. Officials cautioned residents against consuming brightly colored papad and kachri sold openly, warning that synthetic, non-permitted colors are often used to enhance appearance. They highlighted that prolonged consumption of such adulterated products can cause severe stomach disorders, digestive issues, allergies in children, and even increase the risk of serious diseases like cancer.
The department reiterated its commitment to ensuring safe and hygienic food for citizens during the festive season and urged the public to report any suspected cases of food adulteration.