Food safety raids: Rotten meat, stale prawns & Holi colours in sweets found at renowned eating outlets

PTC Web Desk: Food safety inspections have intensified across West Bengal ahead of Durga Puja, with officials finding rotten meat, stale seafood, expired food products and unhygienic kitchens at several restaurants and eateries.

The inspections have taken place across Kolkata and other parts of the state over the past few days. The findings have raised concerns as restaurants and food outlets are expected to see a major increase in customers during the festive season.

The latest enforcement drive comes at a time when Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has also been in the news for his strict action against food establishments. His enforcement campaign has drawn attention to food safety checks in other states as well.

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Baduria in North 24 Parganas has once again come under the scanner. The area was at the centre of the 2018 carcass meat scandal that had shocked West Bengal. During an inspection, officials reportedly recovered around 40 kg of rotten chicken and mutton from a restaurant in Baduria.

The restaurant reportedly told officials that the meat had been kept separately and was meant to be thrown away. Authorities, however, were not satisfied with the explanation and issued a notice to the establishment.

Expired food found at Star Mall

Food safety teams also carried out inspections at Star Mall in Kolkata, a busy shopping and entertainment destination.

Officials reportedly found rotten meat and expired food packets at several food court outlets. Some establishments were allegedly operating without the required licences, while poor hygiene was also found in some kitchens.

At one restaurant, inspectors reportedly discovered chicken affected by fungus inside a refrigerator. Some food items were allegedly thrown into dustbins after the inspection team arrived.

Following the inspection, the licence of the restaurant was cancelled, according to reports.

500 kg stale chicken and prawns seized in Tangra

In another major action, a Chinese restaurant in Tangra, Kolkata's well-known Chinatown area, was temporarily ordered to shut by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on Wednesday.

Officials reportedly seized nearly 500 kg of stale raw chicken and prawns from the restaurant's kitchen.

Tangra is known for its many affordable Chinese and Indo-Chinese restaurants and attracts large numbers of customers.

Food safety checks spread across Bengal

The inspections are not limited to Kolkata.

In Shaktigarh, famous for its Bengali sweet called Langcha, food officials reportedly found ingredients and food products that were considered unfit for consumption during checks at sweet shops.

Several irregularities involving food storage and the use of colouring agents were also reported at dhabas in East Midnapore.

In Digha, another major tourist destination, officials inspected around 20 hotels. Chemical-based colours were reportedly found being used in biryani preparation. Notices were issued to 12 restaurants.

A sweet shop in Hooghly was also reportedly found using gulaal to colour sweets. The shop owner told officials that the colours had been left over from Holi. Officials did not accept the explanation.

Food safety drive launched ahead of Durga Puja

The inspections come as the state government is conducting a food safety campaign from September 1 to September 8.

The drive was launched in the Hogg Market, popularly known as New Market, area. The government has stressed that it will follow a zero-tolerance approach towards food adulteration and violations of food safety rules.

With Durga Puja just weeks away, authorities are stepping up checks at restaurants, sweet shops, hotels and other food outlets.