Chandigarh, Feb 10 (PTI) Haryana Health Minister Arti Singh Rao on Tuesday said that the state government will take strict action against those selling adulterated and unsafe food items.

Her remarks came after several samples of paneer, desi ghee, milk and other dairy products collected from various districts between December 2025 to January 20, 2026, were found unsafe, substandard and misbranded.

A zero-tolerance policy has been adopted against adulteration, and instructions have been issued to conduct raids against those playing with public health. This campaign will continue further, Rao said.

Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Haryana, Manoj Kumar, on Tuesday, said that the department has launched a special drive against adulterated products with the objective of providing safe and quality food items to the people of the state.

"From December 2025 to January 20, 2026, samples of paneer, desi ghee, milk and other milk products were collected from various districts of the state and sent to government laboratories for testing.

"Based on the test reports, several samples were found unsafe, substandard and misbranded. Thereafter, the department has initiated legal action against the concerned Food Business Operators (FBOs) under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006," he said, according to an official statement.

Kumar said that during the last five years (from 2020-21 to 2024-25), the department collected 17,350 samples. Out of these, 12,743 samples were found safe, 529 unsafe, 2,994 substandard and 1,084 were found with other deficiencies.

Giving details about the drive conducted between December 2025 and January 20 this year, Kumar said that vendors in several districts, including Palwal, Hisar, Nuh, Mahendragarh, Jhajjar, Rewari and Panipat, were inspected.

At many places, samples of paneer and desi ghee failed the quality test.

In some cases, action such as sealing of shops and registration of FIRs has also been taken, while in other cases legal proceedings are underway, he said.

In Palwal, paneer from a milk plant was found unsafe and of substandard quality, while in Hisar district, raids were conducted at some shops and samples of desi ghee were taken, which were found unsafe and have been prohibited for sale.

In Nuh district, the branding of a desi ghee at one outlet was found incorrect. In the same district, paneer was tested at two establishments, which was found unsafe, substandard and prohibited for sale.

Similar actions followed in other districts as well.

Kumar also said that many food business operators are selling products that look similar to milk products in the name of paneer, whereas in reality these are made from soya powder and vegetable (refined) oils or chemicals, which is an offence under Section 26 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the rules and regulations made thereunder.

As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the rules and regulations made thereunder, the sale of soya products in open form is prohibited.

He said that if a sample of paneer or ghee, or any other food product, is found to be of inferior quality or unsafe for the second time and is misbranded, then the license/registration of the food business operator will be cancelled as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

He further said that hotels, restaurants, club canteens, caterers, food vending agencies, dhabas, boarding houses serving food, home-based canteens/dhabas, and other food establishments which sell or display for sale snacks, sweets or other food items must put up a notice board displaying separate lists of food items cooked in edible oil, vegetable fat and other plant-derived fats (all types of fats that are not entirely prepared from milk).

This will enable consumers to get correct information about the nature of the product, he said.

"Restaurants will procure food raw material only from licensed/registered vendors and will maintain records thereof, and failure to do so will invite prosecution," he said, adding, "In the case of restaurants, it is mandatory to appoint at least one technical person or food safety supervisor who has been trained by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India." PTI SUN HVA