AMC Tests 500 Food Samples In August Amid Festival-Season Adulteration Concerns

With the festival season bringing increased demand for ghee, paneer, sweets and other food products, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has intensified checks for adulteration, testing around 500 food samples across the city during August, officials said.

The AMC Food Department has been conducting inspections at sweet shops and other food establishments as part of its festival-season drive. Samples collected during these checks are being subjected to both on-the-spot screening and detailed chemical analysis at the AMC’s Food Health Laboratory in Navrangpura.

According to Vimal Shah, laboratory in-charge, around 500 samples have been collected and tested so far this month. The samples include commonly consumed festive food items such as ghee, paneer and sweets.

“Food items such as ghee, paneer and sweets are chemically tested at the laboratory. A detailed report is generally available within seven to eight days,” Shah said.

Rapid Tests Conducted At Food Outlets

The testing is being carried out amid heightened concerns over the use of cheaper substitutes and other materials to adulterate food products during the festival season, when demand for sweets and dairy products rises sharply.

The AMC Food Department has also been using rapid testing kits during inspections to screen samples on the spot. These kits allow officials to identify suspected adulteration without waiting for laboratory analysis, officials said.

However, samples found suspicious during field testing are also collected and sent to the civic laboratory for detailed chemical examination, which can establish the nature and extent of adulteration.

Checks Conducted Across Ahmedabad

The department has conducted checks at several sweet shops and food outlets across Ahmedabad as part of the drive. Inspections have included establishments in areas such as Maninagar, where officials checked food products and collected samples.

The festival-season checks are aimed at preventing the sale of adulterated food items at a time when consumption of sweets and dairy products typically increases.

Officials said laboratory examination is particularly important in cases where field-level screening raises doubts, as the final laboratory report provides a detailed assessment of the sample.

AMC To Continue Inspections During Festival Season

The AMC’s intensified drive comes against the backdrop of repeated concerns over adulteration of milk products, ghee, paneer and sweets. Such products can be made using cheaper substitutes or ingredients that do not meet prescribed food-safety standards.

With festivals continuing through August and the coming months, AMC officials said inspections and sampling would continue across the city.

The AMC has urged food businesses to comply with food-safety norms and consumers to exercise caution while purchasing dairy products and sweets, particularly from establishments where the quality or source of the products is unclear.