The Gujarat State Food and Drug Control Authority (FDCA) seized “suspicious food items” worth ₹6.3 crore during its Food Safety Fortnight campaign, which ran October 3–17. 

FDCA Commissioner HG Koshiya told Gujarat Samachar Digital that samples of the seized items would be tested within 14 days, and appropriate action taken thereafter. 

This timeline raises questions on the drive’s efficacy. 

According to Koshiya, the 15-day drive was supposedly meant to ensure food safety and raise public awareness ahead of the festive season, when more people eat out. 

The food samples were collected as part of extensive sampling and inspections at party plots and mandals during Navratri. This means that untested “suspicious” food was available to the public, at a time when people — especially youngsters — dine out more than ever. 

By the time the results come out — just before Diwali — most shoppers would have already finished buying their ingredients and preparing their snacks and sweets. 

A for effort?

The FDCA reached 8.5 lakh people in 1,400 programmes using its mobile unit, ‘Food Safety on Wheels’. It held programmes in about 200 schools and trained 16,000 traders through 1,000 sessions.

The Food Safety Fortnight also included enforcement drives, awareness campaigns, training sessions, and licence/registration camps to ensure the availability of clean and safe food items. 

As much as 226 tonnes of suspicious food were confiscated in 115 raids across the state. In Nadiad, for instance, the FDCA seized 2,600 kg of adulterated black pepper worth more than ₹9 lakh from one Jai Ambe Spices. Additionally, 8,728 kg of unhealthy food valued at approximately ₹13.7 lakh was destroyed to protect public health. 

Officials collected 8,246 samples: 2,603 enforcement samples and 5,643 surveillance samples. Yet, it is fairly safe to assume that despite the FDCA’s efforts, at least some unscrupulous vendors would have fallen through the cracks, leading to the question: Was this drive really “ahead” of the festive season?