Kota factory sealed after authorities seize over 6,700 litres of adulterated ghee

Kota (Rajasthan) May 11 (PTI) A joint team of food safety and drug control departments raided a ghee manufacturing factory in the city's Ranpur area on Saturday noon and seized over 6,700 litres of adulterated ghee, officials said.

The factory, Balgopal Dairy Products, was also sealed until further orders. they added.

The team found that adulterated ghee was being manufactured at the factory and sold under 4-5 types of brands such as Bal Krishna, Balgopal, Soras Sudh Desi Ghee in rural areas, said Pankaj Ojha, Additional Commissioner, Food Safety department, who led the raid.

The adulterated ghee was being prepared with butter, essence and artificial flavours, Ojha said.

Besides food safety, medical and pest control licences were also not found with the proprietor of the manufacturing unit and no guidelines set by government were being followed, he added.

It was also found that duplicates of popular brands were made in the factory. For instance, Saras was duplicated as Soras, and Krishana as Bal Krishana, the officer said, adding that samples of these items and raw material found in the unit were collected for testing.

After thorough examination, 6,744 litres of adulterated ghee packed in 562 cartoons, each containing 12 litres, were confiscated from the factory, which has been shut until further orders, Sandeep Agarwal, Kota Food and Safety officer, said.

The factory is owned by one Dilip Singh, who was called to the spot and inquired, he added.

Further procedure as per the Food Safety Act is underway against proprietor and action would be initiated accordingly, Agarwal said. PTI COR   RPA