Food safety dept inspects Dibrugarh eateries, collects 50 samples

Dibrugarh: The food safety department on Wednesday launched a special enforcement drive across hotels, restaurants, sweet shops and other food establishments in Dibrugarh district to check hygiene standards and collect food samples for laboratory analysis.Teams of food safety officials carried out surprise inspections in different parts of the district, examining kitchens, food storage areas and preparation zones for compliance with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India norms. Inspectors checked the freshness of raw materials, cleanliness of utensils, personal hygiene of food handlers and overall sanitation at the premises.A total of 50 food samples were collected during the drive, including 48 surveillance samples and two regulatory samples.

Officials said surveillance samples are meant to assess the general quality of food being sold in the market, while regulatory samples are collected when there is reasonable suspicion of adulteration or violation of standards and can carry legal consequences. All samples will be sent to an accredited laboratory, with further action to follow based on the results.“We have been conducting regular checks to ensure that the food being served to the public meets the required safety standards.

Today’s drive was part of our ongoing efforts to keep a close watch on food quality, especially in eateries that see high footfall,” said a senior official of the food safety department, Dibrugarh.Several eateries were issued on-the-spot advisories and warned to clean up their premises and address deficiencies found during the inspections. Owners were also reminded to prominently display valid FSSAI licences at their establishments.The official further added, “Any establishment found to be violating food safety norms will face strict action under the Food Safety and Standards Act. We urge all food business operators to maintain hygiene and cleanliness at all times, not just during inspection drives.”The department said such drives will continue regularly and without prior notice to ensure compliance across the district.