Patna: Directives have been issued to file cases in 11 instances of food safety violations after laboratory tests found the food samples unsafe or non-conforming to prescribed standards, the health department said on Sunday.According to a communique from the health department, health secretary-cum-food safety commissioner Kumar Ravi approved filing of cases under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, based on reports received from different districts. Designated officers have been directed to file cases before competent courts.The samples included turmeric powder, besan laddoo, okra (lady’s finger), edible vegetable oil, barfi, coriander powder, fennel and paneer. The department said samples from Araria, Sheikhpura, Bhojpur, Jamui, Purnia, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Patna and Khagaria were found to have violated the food safety norms.In Araria, samples of turmeric and coriander powder collected from a local establishment were found to contain Metanil Yellow, an oil-soluble colour and starch. In Sheikhpura and Jamui, besan laddoo samples collected from eateries were found to contain Metanil Yellow.A turmeric sample from Bhojpur contained lead chromate, while a turmeric sample collected from a food manufacturing unit in Patna also contained the same. A fennel sample from another Patna establishment was found to contain Fast Green FCF.In Purnia, an okra sample was found to contain external/additional colouring matter. An edible oil sample from Sitamarhi was found to have an acid value above the prescribed limit and oil-soluble synthetic colour and was declared substandard and unsafe.A barfi sample from Muzaffarpur was found to contain aluminium foil instead of silver ‘vark’. In Khagaria, paneer was found to contain formalin and starch, with fat content below the prescribed standard.The department said violations under the Act can attract up to three months’ imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs3 lakh.
