Jaipur: Food safety department seized around 85,000 kg of pickle and raw material during a raid at Shri Shyam Foods in Muhana Mandi Monday. The premises were sealed after officials found dead lizards in pickle containers and widespread hygiene violations.The raid was conducted under the ‘Shuddh Aahar–Milawat Par Vaar’ campaign ahead of Diwali. Food Safety and Drug Control Commissioner Avichal Chaturvedi said officials found around 5,000 kg of prepared pickle and nearly 80,000 kg of raw material, including carrot, raw mango, lemon and chilli, stored in unsanitary conditions.Dead lizards were found in one or two containers, while mosquitoes, spiders and cobwebs were seen across the premises. Officials also reported filth, broken windows and damaged mesh screens.Samples of sauce, mixed pickle and mango pickle were collected for laboratory testing. Around 1,700 kg of packaged pickle and sauce was also seized. Proceedings were initiated to destroy the stock and raw material over contamination concerns.All operations at the unit were stopped until further orders. The food safety officer, Jaipur II, was directed to initiate proceedings to suspend the firm’s food licence.Officials said the firm could face imprisonment and fines if laboratory reports confirm the products were unsafe, depending on the nature and consequences of the violations.In a separate inspection at Pioneer Natural Products in Muhana, officials found alleged irregularities involving misleading health claims and incomplete address details on food products. Samples were collected, stock seized and the firm ordered to stop manufacturing and selling the concerned products until further orders.
