As demand for sweets and dried fruits increases during Ramadan and Holi preparations, authorities in Kanpur have found a concerning case of food adulteration and illegal storage. In a significant operation, officials seized large amounts of expired dates, fake ghee, and adulterated oil, raising worries about food safety during the busy festive season.
10,000 Kg of Expired Dates Seized in Kanpur
Acting on a tip-off, the Food Department in Kanpur’s Naubasta area raided Rajneesh Traders’ warehouse. Inside, the team discovered stacks of boxes filled with dates. Further checks revealed that the boxes contained nearly 10,000 kilograms (100 quintals) of dates that expired in 2022-23. Despite being years past their expiry date, these dates were allegedly being repackaged for sale during the festive season.
Officials estimate the seized stock is worth around Rs 50 lakh. Investigators found that the traders were taking old dates from expired boxes and replacing them with new labels, intending to sell them as fresh produce during Ramadan, when demand for dates is typically high.
Separate Raids Seized Adulterated Oil and Fake Ghee
In another update shared on X on February 21, the Kanpur FSDA announced an extensive anti-adulteration drive across the city. During these raids, officials seized
- 13,972 litres of adulterated oil
- 1,350 kg of colored waste
- Goods worth Rs 5.45 lakh from a fake ghee manufacturing unit in Kalyanpur
All seized products have been sent for laboratory analysis. Officials said the crackdown was carried out at food outlets and storage units ahead of Ramadan and Holi, when demand for food items rises significantly, and malpractice tends to increase.
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