Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration has ordered strict action against dairy and milk-product manufacturing units found using adulterants, harmful chemicals or foreign fats, including immediate seizure and destruction of contaminated products and closure of offending units.In an order issued on Aug 15, food safety commissioner Dr Roshan Jacob said inspections and enforcement drives across several districts had confirmed the presence of adulterants in samples of milk and dairy products.The department said inspections at some manufacturing units had also detected substances including refined oils and fats, soybean and its products, talcum powder, detergents, titanium dioxide, liquid glucose, hydrogen peroxide and various neutralisers, besides surfactants, levelling agents, bleaching agents, whitening agents and emulsifying agents.According to the order, some manufacturers were allegedly using low-cost, substandard materials and toxic chemicals to prepare milk and dairy products, posing a serious health risk to consumers.The food safety commissioner, exercising powers under Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, ordered that all dairy products found at a manufacturing or processing unit where foreign fats or harmful chemicals/adulterants are detected would be seized and destroyed. Such establishments will also face an immediate prohibition order under Section 34 of the Act, bringing their manufacturing operations to a halt on public-health grounds.Where manufacturers are found to be systematically using chemicals harmful to public health, police cases will be registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The order further provides for a statewide ban on the sale of products of the concerned brand. The food licence or registration of such establishments will be immediately suspended under Regulation 2.1.8(4) of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.Govt has also directed that if harmful chemicals or foreign fats are detected in milk or dairy products manufactured outside Uttar Pradesh, the concerned brand will face a statewide prohibition on sale within the state. The order covers dairy products including ghee, khoya, paneer, chhena and cream, among others.Dr Jacob said the measures were aimed at ensuring the availability of pure milk and dairy products to the public and preventing adulteration in the interest of public health. The order has come into immediate effect and has been circulated to all divisional commissioners, district magistrates, food safety officials and other concerned authorities across Uttar Pradesh for compliance.
