Food Safety Crackdown: 17 Brands Including Ghee and Snacks Banned for Two Months

The Food Safety Wing of the Medical and Health Department has initiated a major enforcement action to protect public health by banning the sale, storage, and display of products from 17 different brands across the state. According to the official order issued on Monday, samples of these products were found to be 'unsafe' during laboratory analysis. The ban has been imposed for an initial period of two months. The list of prohibited items includes desi ghee, tea leaves, turmeric, roasted gram, snacks, and sweets, many of which are widely consumed household staples.

Ten Ghee Brands Prohibited from Sale

The most significant part of the crackdown involves desi ghee, with 10 out of the 17 banned products belonging to this category. These brands were being manufactured in various districts of Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan. According to the department, the banned brands include 'Shri Dairy Preet' by RD Industries (Jind, Haryana), 'Haryana Farm' by Girdhar Milk Food Pvt Ltd (Panipat, Haryana), and 'Shri Dairy Bright' by Krishna Food Production (Jhajjar, Haryana), while Also, 'Dhenu Saras' ghee from Dhenushree Dairy Products (Luni, Jodhpur) and 'Easy Dairy' ghee from Pratham Trading Company (Bhiwani, Haryana) have also been declared unsafe for consumption.

Action Against Manufacturers in Punjab and Rajasthan

The prohibition also extends to 'Bhog Vinayak' ghee manufactured by Maruti Agro Industries in Muktsar, Punjab, and 'Haryana Cream' ghee by Pragati Food Products in Bhiwani, Haryana. From Rajasthan's Pali district, 'Shri Bhairav Saras' ghee produced by Shyam Milk Food Productions failed to meet safety standards. Other brands on the list include 'Jai Shri Krishna' ghee by Ram Food Product (Hisar, Haryana) and 'Dairy Punjab' ghee by Girdhar Milk Food Pvt Ltd (Panipat, Haryana). Authorities have stated that these products don't comply with the safety parameters mandated under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Ban on Snacks, Sweets, and Tea Products

Beyond ghee, several other popular food items have faced departmental action. 'Kesar Bati' manufactured by M/s Ras Rasna Foods Pvt Ltd, Bikaner, sold under the brand name 'Yuvraj Bikaner', has been declared unsafe, while similarly, 'Bengal Gold' tea leaves from Shivshakti Tea Traders Pvt Ltd (Siliguri, West Bengal) and sugar-boiled confectionery (colorful toffees) from Nagad Narayan Foods, Bikaner, are now prohibited. Turmeric from Shri Sai Masalewala (Bharatpur) and 'Tikha Meetha Mix' namkeen from the well-known Balaji Wafers Pvt Ltd (Indore) have also been included in the ban following failed sample tests.

Retail Impact and Inter-State Coordination

The investigation revealed that some of the unsafe products were being sold through major retail chains. Specifically, 'Snack Tac' branded roasted chana, manufactured by RK Company (Gurugram, Haryana) and sold at Reliance Retail stores, was found to be unsafe. Food safety officials have confirmed that they've reached out to the food safety departments of the respective states where these manufacturing units are located. Formal letters have been dispatched to initiate legal proceedings against the companies under the FSSAI Act. Local food safety officers have been directed to conduct inspections and ensure that none of the 17 banned products are available for public sale or display during the two-month period.