Over 2,800 kg of Unsafe Khoya and Butter Seized and Destroyed Across Delhi Markets

Delhi's Food Safety Department on Monday confiscated and destroyed more than 2,800 kilograms of unsafe and abandoned food items across wholesale hubs, including Khoya Mandi, Mori Gate, Bagh Deewar, and Sanjay Market.

At Khoya Mandi, Mori Gate, Bagh Deewar, and Sanjay Market, enforcement teams discovered around 2,830 kilograms of unclaimed khoya, dhaap, and butter stored in highly unhygienic conditions. The abandoned items were foul-smelling and showed clear signs of deterioration. After officials made public announcements asking traders to come forward and claim the stock, no sellers responded. The entire consignment was seized and destroyed at the MCD dumping site at Majnu Ka Tila in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The enforcement drive was initiated following directions from Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh to clamp down on substandard products ahead of the festive rush. "Festive preparations must not come at the cost of food safety. We will ensure that no unsafe or adulterated food reaches the people of Delhi," Singh said, adding that strict legal action would be taken against operators who endanger public health.

Subsequent laboratory testing confirmed quality violations. All 10 samples of khoya and cream collected from Mori Gate were found to be non-conforming after analysis at the State Laboratory. Officials also gathered two enforcement samples of khoya from the Bagh Deewar-Sanjay Market stretch, while four other samples, consisting of two paneer and two khoya batches, conformed to standards when tested using the Food Safety Wheel.

In west Delhi's Janakpuri Mandi, inspectors checked 10 commercial food establishments and collected 10 enforcement samples of paneer. The team also carried out spot testing on 28 surveillance samples using the Food Safety Wheel, finding that four samples tested positive for detergent. Following the detection, officials destroyed 150 kilograms of paneer and 10 kilograms of khoya as a precautionary measure.

Singh has instructed the department to maintain heightened surveillance and continue aggressive market inspections throughout the festive period. With the demand for festive dairy products expected to surge, officials reiterated that inspections will remain active to halt the distribution of adulterated ingredients.