Noida: Ahead of Navratri, the food safety department carried out raids across the district on Wednesday and seized around 400 kg of loose buckwheat (kuttu) flour. Officials said the seller could not produce a valid receipt for the stock which also lacked batch numbers and manufacturing dates.Assistant commissioner (food), GB Nagar, Sarvesh Mishra, said a food safety team inspected the premises Santosh Traders in Kulesra, Greater Noida. “Two hundred and forty-four packets (250 gm each) without batch numbers or manufacturing dates were found. Without documentation of the food product, it is hard to ascertain whether it is fit for consumption or not as the shelf life of buckwheat flour is quite short. After collecting samples, officials sealed around 238 kg of loose flour and 240 packets,” he said.At another outlet, Muskan Traders in Kulesra, the same team found 70 kg of loose buckwheat flour lacking proper documentation and labelling.Another team collected samples of buckwheat flour and water chestnut (singhada) flour from a facility in Sector 49. A third team lifted a sample of raisins from a grocery store in Kasna. Seven samples were sent for laboratory testing.“We have issued strict instructions to food business operators to procure products only from licensed suppliers, maintain proper purchase records and ensure clear labelling, including manufacturing dates and batch numbers,” Mishra said.The crackdown comes over a month after a major incident. On Feb 15, at least 70 residents from three societies in Greater Noida West—Supertech Ecovillage 3, Himalayan Pride and Royal Court Society—fell ill after consuming meals prepared using kuttu flour during Mahashivratri. Food department officials traced the contaminated buckwheat to a single manufacturing unit in Chipyana Buzurg village. The manufacturer, HD Spices, had obtained a supply licence from the Ghaziabad food department.Following a complaint by a food safety officer, an FIR was registered at Bisrakh police station under Section 275 (sale of noxious food or drink) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. During investigation, four people, including the warehouse owner, were detained for questioning.In Ghaziabad, over 3.5 tonnes of food items like buckwheat flour and rock salt have been seized in crackdown on Thursday.Ghaziabad chief food safety officer Ashutosh Rai said a food safety team carried out an inspection on the premises of M/s Gogia Grinders, on Ramte Ram Road, and seized of a stock of substandard products.“The team found 2,520 kg of buckwheat flour packed in 63 sacks and 1,050 kg of rock salt stored in 40 sacks. The seller could not produce any documentation proof and the officials could not ascertain expiry dates. Hence, items worth nearly Rs 4 lakh were seized,” he said.Three samples collected during the raid have been sent for laboratory testing.
