Vadodara: Samples taken collected from 22 food vendors in the city were found to be substandard on testing. Food safety officers of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) will register complaints against these establishments with the adjudicating officer.Food safety officers continually take samples from food businesses in the city. These are tested at VMC’s public health laboratory. Based on the test results, action is taken against the food business operators.The health department has decided to file complaints against 22 establishments from where samples were collected during and ahead of the Uttarayan festivities. These establishments included seven restaurants, six dairies, five sweet and savoury shops, three grocery stores and one unit making vegetable puffs in bulk.The samples found to be substandard included seven of paneer, including a prepared paneer dish, four milk samples, three samples of chikki and three samples of jaggery. One sample each of tofu, vegetable puff, cooking oil and ghee were also found to be substandard. An official said substandard samples are not unfit for consumption but do not meet the parameters set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.The resident additional collector is the adjudicating officer who hears cases against such food business operators. A penalty of up to Rs 5 lakh can be imposed on the establishments if they are held guilty in the hearing.
