The food safety department seized nearly 3,000 litres of desi cow ghee, suspected to be adulterated, during a raid at a godown in Deep Nagar on Tuesday. Officials have sent the samples of the clarified butter to a government-notified laboratory to ascertain whether the product conforms to prescribed food safety standards.

Officials of the food safety department during the raid in Deep Nagar, Ludhiana on Tuesday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

District health officer (food safety) Dr Ashish Chawla said, “The consignment was reportedly sourced from Gujarat. Preliminary probe revealed that the ghee had been procured at around ₹400 per litre, despite carrying a maximum retail price (MRP) of ₹700 per litre. The department is scrutinising purchase invoices, transportation documents, product labelling and other statutory records to establish the consignment’s provenance and regulatory compliance.”

Chawla said the authenticity and quality of the seized ghee could only be established after laboratory examination and any penal action would be contingent upon the findings of the analysis. He said proceedings, if warranted, would be initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Officials said the operation formed part of the department’s sustained enforcement campaign against the manufacture, storage and distribution of food products suspected of violating food safety norms. They reiterated that every food business operator is legally mandated to possess a valid FSSAI licence or registration, adhere to prescribed hygiene standards, maintain statutory records and ensure accurate product labelling.

The department has advised consumers to purchase food products only from FSSAI-licenced establishments, verify product labels and licence details before making a purchase, and promptly report any suspected food safety violations to the authorities.