Punjab food safety officials carry out checks at railway stations for sub-standard perishable items

Food safety officials carried out checks at railway stations in Punjab early today for sub-standard perishable items, including 'khoya' and 'paneer', being pumped into the state from neighbouring states, a senior official said.

K S Pannu, commissioner, Food Safety, said it was reported that sub-standard perishable items were being flooded into local markets from neighbouring states through early morning in-bound trains.

"Meetings were held with railway authorities and they were sensitised on the issue. Special teams were sent to check prominent railway stations. Samples have been collected and forwarded to the state laboratory at Kharar," Pannu said.

He said railway authorities were requested to inform the department before releasing the items to the concerned so that samples can be taken for quality test. Railway authorities have agreed to share the information, he said.

Pannu said special barriers were also put up to check the entry of milk and milk products by road from neighbouring states.

Besides, inspection was done at large dairies for the second day today and 150 samples have been collected and sent for quality check, he said.

Sub-standard milk and cream, some of them infested with insects, were found during the raids and destroyed, he said.

The inspections will continue, he said.