Delhi’s Food Safety Department steps up surveillance, public health non negotiable: Dr Singh

The Food Safety Department has intensified surveillance and enforcement of food safety norms across the national capital to ensure the availability of safe and hygienic food for the public.

This follows instructions of Delhi’s Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh, who has clearly asked the department to deal with the violators of the food safety norm strictly with safe and hygienic food for every citizen. “I have directed the department to maintain strict vigilance, especially during festive periods, and take prompt action against any violations.,” he said.

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“The encouraging results reflect our sustained efforts in this direction. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, we will continue to strengthen enforcement and monitoring mechanisms to uphold the highest food safety standards across the city,” Dr. Singh said.

Notably, a total of 98 food samples were lifted from various food business operators across different districts of Delhi during routine inspections and special surveillance drives.
These samples covered a wide range of commonly consumed food items, including sweets, dairy products, spices, and other essential commodities.

The Food Safety Laboratory has generated 54 analysis reports so far, with all tested samples conforming to prescribed food safety standards.
According to officials, no sample so far has been reported as unsafe or failing in the reports received to date.

The remaining samples are currently under examination, and reports are awaited.
In a similar exercise that took place during Navratri, the department had carried out extensive and targeted inspections, particularly focusing on food items commonly consumed during fasting such as kuttu atta, singhara atta, sabudana, fruits, and dairy products.
According to the department. special drives were conducted across markets, mandis, retail outlets, slum clusters, unauthorized colonies, and other areas with a high footfall, to ensure safe and compliant food availability during the festivities.

As part of the ongoing monitoring and regulatory framework under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, a total of 165 food samples were lifted during this period, comprising 138 surveillance samples and 27 enforcement samples from various food business establishments across Delhi.
Officials say that strict compliance, intensive inspections, and monitoring under the guidance of the Health Minister ensured that no untoward incidents were reported during the Navratri period.

During this exercise, a significant number of samples were collected, including both surveillance and enforcement samples.
According to the department, laboratory analysis of legal samples indicated a high compliance rate, with the majority of samples meeting prescribed standards.
Meanwhile, necessary action has been initiated in cases of non-conformance as per due legal provisions.