1 week ago
Kerala Intensifies Food Safety Checks Ahead of Onam Festival
Kerala is checking food more carefully before the Onam festival.
Officials are working all day and night at five border checkposts.
They test food brought into the state using mobile laboratories.
The checks cover items such as fruits, vegetables, milk, oil and jaggery.
Officials are also visiting warehouses and online grocery storage centers.
They are looking for expired food, incorrect labels and unsafe storage temperatures.
Samples of popular Onam foods are being sent to laboratories for testing.
Businesses that break food safety rules may face action under the law.
The Kerala Food Safety Department has begun round-the-clock inspections at five border checkposts.
Mobile laboratories are testing food shipments including produce, dairy products, oils and jaggery in real time.
Inspections have expanded to warehouses and e-commerce dark stores as online food purchases rise.
Officials have completed 80 inspections and collected samples of ghee, jaggery, payasam mix and coconut oil.
Strict action under the Food Safety Act will be taken against establishments found violating rules.
- Who
- The Kerala Food Safety Department, under Health Minister K Muraleedharan, is conducting the inspections.
- What
- The department is intensifying food safety inspections and laboratory testing under its Safe Onam campaign.
- Where
- At the Aryankavu, Kumily, Walayar, Meenakshipuram and Karali border checkposts, as well as warehouses and e-commerce dark stores in Kerala.
- When
- The inspections are taking place ahead of Onam; Thiruonam falls on August 26 this year.
- Why
- To ensure the quality and safety of food entering Kerala and sold during the festival season.
Key facts
- Campaign
- Safe Onam
- Border checkposts
- Aryankavu, Kumily, Walayar, Meenakshipuram and Karali
- Inspection schedule
- Round-the-clock
- Completed warehouse inspections
- 80
- Sampled products
- Ghee, jaggery, payasam mix, coconut oil and other Onam foods
- Checks conducted
- Expiry dates, storage temperatures, labelling and storage practices
- Enforcement
- Violations may lead to action under the Food Safety Act
Sources
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