Prominent Brands in Ludhiana Face Scrutiny After Food Samples Fail Quality Tests
Several well-known brands operating stores in Ludhiana district have come under the scanner of the Food Safety Department after laboratory reports revealed that food samples collected during inspections between January and May were found to be unsafe, substandard, or misbranded. Officials have indicated that legal proceedings under the Food Safety and Standards Act are likely to be initiated against all parties involved.
Unsafe Products Detected
A jaggery sample collected from a Reliance store located in Mundian Kalan on Chandigarh Road was declared unsafe due to the presence of fungal contamination. District Health Officer Dr Ashish Chawla warned that consumption of fungus-contaminated food products could lead to serious health risks for consumers.
Paneer samples collected from an eatery in Sahnewal and another food outlet near Fountain Chowk were also found to be unsafe. Additionally, two samples of desi ghee seized from a business establishment near Gill Chowk failed safety tests.
Substandard and Misbranded Items
Used cooking oil samples from a restaurant in MBD Mall on Ferozepur Road and from Grand Oriental Restaurant were classified as substandard, as they did not meet prescribed standards. Among dairy products, paneer samples from Sant Sweets, Bigga Bikaneri Sweets, Siddhi Vinayak Dairy, and Jagir Dairy were found to be substandard. Milk samples collected from Gill Road, Narangwal, Bilaspur, and Haibowal also failed laboratory testing.
In a separate case, four coffee samples seized from a trader in Dugri were declared misbranded due to deficiencies in labelling and missing mandatory product information.
Past Actions Against Major Chains
Dr Chawla noted that samples linked to Pizza Hut, KFC, and Burger King have faced regulatory action in the past as well. Officials emphasized that legal proceedings under the Food Safety and Standards Act will be initiated against all parties associated with unsafe, substandard, or misbranded samples to ensure consumer protection and food quality compliance.
