Indore News: Illegal Ice-Lolly Unit Shut, 190 kg Of Food Items Seized

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Food safety officials carried out a surprise inspection on Friday and took action against an ice-lolly manufacturing unit operating on Palda Main Road, seizing about 190 kilograms of food products.

The inspection was conducted by the Food Safety Administration following instructions from the district collector to ensure the quality and safety of food items during the summer months. During the inspection, officials found that ice lollies were being manufactured at the unit without a valid food licence or registration.

Officials also discovered that the water used to prepare the ice lollies was drawn directly from a borewell, and the operator could not provide proof that the water was safe for drinking. In addition, workers at the unit were not maintaining proper personal hygiene during food preparation.

Authorities further found that the artificial sweetener saccharin was being used in the ice lollies, but there was no information about it on the product labelling. Officials said excessive use of artificial sweeteners can be harmful, particularly for children, who are the main consumers of such products.

During the raid, officials collected five samples for laboratory testing, including three ice-lolly samples, one soft drink used in the preparation and one artificial sweetener sample. Around 6,250 ice lollies, weighing nearly 190 kilograms, were seized. Due to serious irregularities and the absence of a valid licence, the food business operating at the premises was immediately shut down.

Meanwhile, officials also conducted inspections using a mobile food-testing laboratory in areas such as Khatiwala Tank and Rajendra Nagar. Food samples from several eateries, dairy shops and juice centres were tested on the spot. A total of 34 food samples were checked during the drive, and additional samples were sent to the state food testing laboratory for detailed examination.