Gurgaon: Food safety officials seized and destroyed 365kg of suspected adulterated dairy products, including 350kg of paneer and 15kg of khoya, during a raid at a shop in Khandsa Mandi on Monday.The action followed a tip-off about the sale of adulterated dairy products to retail customers in the city. Officials found the stock unfit for consumption during an initial inspection and buried the entire consignment to prevent it from entering the food supply chain.The joint operation was conducted by designated officer Puneet Sharma, food safety officer (Gurgaon-I) Manoj Kumar and food safety officer (Faridabad-I) Indrapal at Shop No. 33 in Khandsa Mandi. During the inspection, officials noticed a strong, foul smell emanating from the paneer and khoya. The products also had an unusual texture, with the paneer crumbling into a powder-like substance when rubbed between the hands. These abnormalities prompted the team to declare the stock unsafe for consumption and initiate its destruction.“We received specific information about the supply of suspected adulterated dairy products at the shop. During the inspection, the paneer had a foul smell and an abnormal texture. Considering the condition of the stock and the potential risk to consumers, we decided to remove the entire quantity from the market,” said Kumar.Before destroying the stock, the team collected three samples — two of paneer and one of khoya — and sent them to a food testing laboratory in Chandigarh. A JCB excavator was used to dig a trench, and the entire consignment was buried, officials said.The exact composition of the products and the presence of any adulterants will be established only after laboratory analysis. Officials said the findings would provide scientific evidence about the quality and composition of the seized material. The action comes amid concerns over the sale of unsafe dairy products, with the department emphasising inspections and laboratory testing to protect consumers.
