Milk safety under scanner as FDA conducts 213 inspections across J&K

213 inspections carried out; three food business operators penalised during enforcement exercise

Srinagar, July 25: The Food & Drugs Administration (FDA), Jammu & Kashmir, on Saturday said it conducted a Union Territory-wide special enforcement drive on milk and milk products, carrying out 213 inspections and collecting 170 samples of loose milk for quality and safety testing across multiple districts.

According to the FDA, the samples have been sent to NABL-accredited Food Testing Laboratories for analysis of prescribed quality and safety parameters. The exercise was undertaken to strengthen regulatory oversight and ensure the safety of milk sold to consumers across Jammu & Kashmir.

The enforcement drive covered districts including Jammu, Samba, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Udhampur, Kathua, Srinagar, Anantnag, Bandipora, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama. Additionally, officials collected 10 samples of other high-risk food commodities for testing.

The FDA said milk and milk products continue to be a priority under its enforcement and surveillance framework due to their highly perishable nature and widespread consumption.

During the inspections, three Food Business Operators (FBOs) were compounded under Section 69 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and fined a total of ₹5,000 for violations detected during enforcement activities. Authorities also issued five Improvement Notices to FBOs for deficiencies related to sanitary and hygienic conditions.

The department said similar targeted drives would continue across the Union Territory, particularly for other high-risk food categories such as meat and meat products, sweets and bakery items. It warned that action would be initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, against operators found violating prescribed food safety standards.

The FDA has urged consumers to remain vigilant while purchasing milk and milk products and to report suspected cases of unsafe, adulterated or substandard food through its toll-free helpline, 104, or via email at [email protected].