Delhi’s Food Safety Department has found lapses in hygiene, cleanliness, food storage and prescribed handling practices at several sweet manufacturers and related establishments inspected across the capital ahead of the festive season, according to the Chief Minister’s Office.
Departmental teams carried out inspections at units and sweet shops in areas including Chandni Chowk, Naraina, Okhla and Narela. They also collected food samples from various establishments as part of enforcement and surveillance activity.
The reported inspections come as demand for sweets and other food products rises during the festive period. The Chief Minister’s Office said compliance with hygiene standards during the manufacture, storage and sale of food products becomes especially important at this time.
The government also reported that 19 of 59 ghee samples tested were found to be unsafe for human consumption. The supplied account does not provide the names of the establishments from which the samples were collected, the specific substances detected or details of action taken against individual units.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said there would be “no compromise on citizens’ health amid festive celebrations”. She said establishments engaged in the food business must take responsibility for complying with rules covering hygiene, safe storage, employee training and proper food-handling practices.
“The government is committed to ensuring that citizens have access to safe and hygienic food and that no one’s health is compromised amid festive celebrations,” Ms. Gupta said in the statement issued through the Chief Minister’s Office. She added that awareness, accountability and compliance with prescribed standards were essential to protecting public interest and public health.
The inspections place responsibility on both the enforcement system and food businesses during a period when production and sales typically increase. For consumers, the findings underline that the safety of festive food depends not only on the point of sale but also on conditions in manufacturing, storage and handling facilities.
The department’s sample collection is part of the continuing surveillance process. The government said it takes matters related to public health seriously and that compromising food quality or endangering people’s health through adulteration was unacceptable under any circumstances.
The statement did not specify the number of establishments inspected, the total number of samples collected, penalties imposed or the timeline for follow-up inspections. Further enforcement action and the results of additional testing will determine how the reported lapses are addressed.
