With Raksha Bandhan just days away, food safety officials in Noida have stepped up inspections of milk products and sweets — and one raid has already uncovered a sizeable amount of paneer deemed unfit for consumption.Around 300 kg of paneer was seized and destroyed at a dairy in Garhi Chaukhandi, Noida, ahead of the festival, officials said.The paneer had reportedly been supplied from Mewat in Haryana. During the inspection, Food Safety Officers Vishal Gupta and Ritu Saxena collected a sample for testing, while the remaining stock was destroyed at the spot after officials found it unfit for human consumption.The action was carried out following directions from the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration and the district administration, with officials focusing on milk and dairy products being sold during the festive season.
More paneer samples collected across Noida
And the checks didn’t stop there.On the night of August 22, a food safety team intercepted a vehicle near the DND Flyover that was carrying paneer from Kilokhari in Bulandshahr towards Delhi. Officials collected a sample from the consignment.The following day, another team collected a paneer sample from a dairy at Sector 88 Noida Mandi.Food safety officials also visited a dairy in Tughalpur, Greater Noida, where they collected samples of paneer and curd. Another paneer sample was taken from a dairy in Knowledge Park-2 that had supplied the product to the shop.Sweets haven’t been left out either. Officials collected samples of boondi laddoo and khoya from a sweet shop near Yatharth Hospital in Greater Noida.
Eight samples sent for testing
So far, officials have collected eight samples of milk products and sweets from different locations across the district. The samples have been sent to a laboratory for testing.Assistant Commissioner Sarvesh Mishra said inspection and sampling drives will continue across Noida and Greater Noida to check whether food products being sold to consumers meet the required safety standards.With Raksha Bandhan bringing a rush for paneer, khoya, milk products and sweets, the inspections are particularly relevant for shoppers.For consumers, it’s also a reminder to be a little careful about where festive food is bought – especially when the shopping list gets bigger and the markets get busier.
