MAPUSA
In a stepped-up surveillance operation to ensure food safety and hygiene standards, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) conducted a series of late-evening inspections across multiple locations in Mapusa and Calangute on Thursday.
The operation led to the closure of three chicken centres and the destruction of misbranded food products.
Acting on specific intelligence and as part of a broader drive to curb food adulteration and unhygienic practices, the FDA team inspected a total of 13 premises in the Mapusa Housing Board area, Tar Bridge locality and Khorlim. During the operation, officials shut down three chicken centres located at the Housing Board for violating food safety norms.
The owners were fined Rs 5,000 each under Section 69 of the Food Safety and Standards Act and were directed to cease operations immediately.
In addition to the crackdown on non-compliant meat vendors, FDA officers also seized and destroyed a stock of misbranded ice candy worth approximately Rs 65,000.
The misbranded items were deemed unfit for consumption and were sent for laboratory analysis to determine the extent of adulteration or mislabelling.
Surveillance samples of bananas were also drawn from the Mapusa sub-yard as part of routine quality checks, in line with the FDA’s efforts to monitor the safety of perishable food items in wholesale markets.
The operation did not end in Mapusa.
As night fell, the FDA surveillance team extended its inspections to the beach village of Calangute, a tourist hotspot known for its bustling food scene.
The ongoing inspections in the area are part of a wider strategy to ensure tourist safety and maintain public health standards in high-footfall zones.
The inspections were conducted under the leadership of FDA Director Shweta Dessai and the core team included officials Richard Noronha, Rajaram Patil, Shailesh Shenvi, Safia Khan, Sneha Gaude, Sujata Shetgaonkar, Amit Mandrekar and Lenin de Sa.
