Srinagar, February 20 — Food safety authorities on Friday seized around 725 kilograms of honey from the Abanshah area of HMT here after finding the stock stored and circulated without mandatory statutory labelling, officials said.
The seizure was carried out by the Drug and Food Control Organisation following specific intelligence inputs, prompting a targeted inspection in the locality.
An official said the seized honey did not carry any of the compulsory details required under the Food Safety and Standards Act, including the product name, net quantity, date of packing or manufacture, best-before or expiry date, and the name and address of the manufacturer or packer. The stock was also missing the FSSAI licence number and storage instructions.
“The entire consignment was seized on the spot, and samples have been collected for analytical testing,” the official said.
Food safety authorities issued a strict warning to food business operators, stating that the sale or storage of unlabelled food products is illegal and poses serious health risks to consumers. “Any violation of food safety norms will invite action under the law,” the official added.
Consumers have been advised to remain vigilant while purchasing packaged food items and ensure that all mandatory details, including the manufacturer’s information, date of packing and use-by date, are clearly mentioned. Officials said suspicious or unlabelled food items can be reported on the Food Safety Helpline 104.
The seizure, officials said, reflects the department’s zero-tolerance approach towards unsafe and non-compliant food products in Kashmir’s markets.