BENGALURU: Expired and improperly labelled food products worth Rs 1.38 crore and medicines worth Rs 4.02 lakh were seized during inspections of dark stores and storage facilities operated by online delivery platforms in Bengaluru, news agency PTI reported.The inspections were carried out by the Food Safety and Drugs Administration following directions from health minister U T Khader under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.The checks focused on manufacturing and expiry dates, shelf life, labelling and food safety standards, besides verifying licences for storage and sale of medicines, officials said.Khader said the department had uncovered a suspected network involved in procuring expired or improperly labelled products and supplying them to shops at cheaper rates.He said the government would follow a “zero tolerance” policy against such violations.The inspections followed information circulating on social media about a “peptide party” in Bengaluru, where organisers had advertised “peptide tastings”. Peptides are short chains of amino acids that are marketed for purposes including fitness, anti-ageing and recovery.Officials noticed the organisers and asked them to appear before the department. The event was subsequently cancelled. The organisers initially claimed that the gathering was intended to promote hair serum and other products, but later told officials that the products had been sourced from an Amazon dark store.“From there, our team went and inspected. They did not have a licence to sell drugs,” he said.The inspection subsequently led officials to a premises near Lingarajapuram, where food products worth more than Rs 45 lakh were allegedly found to be expired or improperly labelled.Khader alleged that expired products were being purchased, sold at lower prices and then fitted with fresh maximum retail price and expiry-date stickers before being supplied to retailers.“This is a network where big companies, when products reach their expiry date, sell them at a discount to smaller players. From there, they sell them to shops. The shops get more margin and may not look at the quality. This ultimately affects the health of children and other people. We are serious about this,” the minister said.Khader said strict action would be taken against those involved and indicated that the issue could require coordination between the Centre and state governments. He also said a national meeting of food safety officers and commissioners would be held, where the need to update existing rules would be raised with the Union Health Ministry and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).At Amazon’s BLR6 facility at Hitech Defence and Aerospace Park in Devanahalli, officials seized food products worth Rs 14 lakh that were incorrectly or inadequately labelled and expired food worth Rs 10 lakh. Medicines worth Rs 2,45,352 were also allegedly found to be stored without the required licence.At Amazon BLR7 in Anekal, officials seized incorrectly or inadequately labelled food products worth Rs 19 lakh and expired food worth Rs 13 lakh. Medicines valued at Rs 1.57 lakh were allegedly stored without a licence.Following a complaint, officials also inspected Saptha Bazaar in HBR Layout, where it was alleged that groceries, milk, vegetables, curd and other products were being procured from online delivery agencies and expired items were being resold.Around Rs 10,000 worth of expired products, including cashew biscuits, ragi flour, chicken patties, paneer, cookies, nuts, eggs and flour, were seized, officials said.Srinivas K said the inspection at Leo 7 Enterprises in Lingarajapuram uncovered several expired or near-expiry products.“During the inspection conducted at Leo 7 Enterprises, located in Lingarajapuram, Bengaluru, it was found that various food products, including nutritional products, beverages, chocolates, sweets, ghee and nuts and seeds, which were either expired or nearing expiry, were being stored,” he said.The owner of Leo 7 Enterprises told officials that products worth around Rs 56 lakh were stored at the premises. The facility was subsequently sealed.Officials also inspected an Instamart facility in Hoskote in Bengaluru Rural district.“During the inspection of the Instamart facility located in Hoskote, Bengaluru Rural district, expired food products worth Rs 42 lakh were seized,” Srinivas K said.The Instamart facility was closed following findings of unhygienic conditions and other violations, officials said.According to the department, the total value of food products seized during the inspections was Rs 1.38 crore, comprising food worth Rs 33 lakh that was incorrectly or inadequately labelled and expired or near-expiry food worth Rs 1.05 crore.Medicines worth Rs 4.02 lakh were also seized for alleged violations relating to storage without the required licences.The probe into the Instamart facility is continuing, with officials examining around Rs 1 crore worth of expired and mislabelled products, according to the department.(With agency inputs)
