Times News NetworkKanpur: Acting on the directives of the district magistrate, teams of the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department on Wednesday raided three momo manufacturing units operating under unhygienic conditions in Rawatpur and Saket Nagar areas and ordered their closure until deficiencies are rectified.During the drive, around 115 kilograms of suspected chutney was destroyed.The food safety teams collected samples of momos and chutney for laboratory testing and disposed of the seized chutney at the municipal corporation’s waste disposal yard. During the campaign, coloured finger chips and coloured chutney being sold at momo carts in the Maswanpur area were also destroyed for failing to meet hygiene standards.Food Safety Officers Sanjay Verma, Rajnish Kumar Rai, Anil Kumar and Sarika Singh inspected the ‘Akash Momos’ manufacturing unit in Keshav Nagar, Rawatpur village, where cleanliness conditions were found to be extremely poor. The chutney served with the momos was reportedly stored under unhygienic conditions. A sample was collected for testing and nearly 40 kilograms of chutney was destroyed. The unit was directed to remain closed until hygiene and cleanliness deficiencies are removed.The team also inspected ‘Shri Balaji Momos’ manufacturing unit at 116/139A, Rawatpur village, where mandatory food registration documents were not found. The officials found poor sanitation and coloured chutney stored in contaminated conditions. Samples of chutney and momos were collected for testing and about 45 kilograms of chutney was destroyed. The unit was ordered to suspend operations until it obtains food registration and complies with food safety norms.In a separate inspection, food safety officer Rashmi Prabha raided a momo manufacturing unit in Saket Nagar and found unhygienic conditions and improperly stored chutney. A sample was collected for testing and around 30 kilograms of chutney was disposed of at the municipal waste disposal yard.The unit was instructed to remain closed until all deficiencies are addressed.During the third phase of the campaign, food safety officials inspected momo carts in the Maswanpur area and found coloured finger chips and coloured chutney being sold without adherence to hygiene standards. The food items were destroyed on the spot and vendors were warned to strictly follow food safety regulations.Assistant commissioner (Food) Sanjay Pratap Singh said the department would not compromise on public health and that maintaining hygiene standards during the manufacture, storage and sale of food products is mandatory for all food business operators.
