THE GOAN
PANAJI
From sweet shops and bakeries to neighbourhood stores and market stalls, Goa's food markets are gearing up for the festive rush. With Navratri and Diwali approaching, demand for sweets, milk products, savouries, snacks and beverages is expected to rise, and so is the need to keep a closer watch on what is being sold. But with more food being made, stored and sold, there is also greater room for food safety lapses. This is why the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked States to step up surveillance and enforcement during the festive period.
The focus will be on some of the foods that see the biggest demand at this time of the year, including milk and milk products, sweets, snacks and savouries, namkeen, papad and fryums, edible oils, beverages and ghee. The products being checked can also differ from one region to another, depending on local food habits and what is commonly consumed.
The concern is not simply about the volume of food being sold. FSSAI has previously pointed out that the sharp rise in demand during festivals results in an opportunity for adulterated or substandard products to enter the market. Milk and milk products are among the categories that regularly come under the scanner. Ghee, khoa and paneer are widely used in festive preparations, while several sweets are made using milk-based ingredients. These products have been the focus of special enforcement drives in the past, particularly because adulteration can be difficult to identify simply by looking at a product.
Thus, sampling becomes important. FSSAI has asked State Food Safety Commissioners to direct enforcement teams to inspect establishments and collect samples during the festive period. Officials have also been asked to concentrate their checks on identified hotspots and other sensitive locations where violations may be more likely. A food product may look perfectly normal and still fail to meet the required standards. Laboratory testing gives officials a better way of determining what is actually in the food and whether it complies with food safety requirements.
Storage and handling are another part of the picture. Festive demand means larger quantities of sweets and milk-based products may be prepared, transported and kept for sale, making proper storage and handling important. Increased production by itself does not make a product unsafe, but the scale of festive sales calls for closer checks on how such food is handled. To strengthen these efforts, FSSAI has also asked States to use Food Safety on Wheels vehicles wherever available. The mobile units can be positioned in prominent markets or deployed based on specific intelligence inputs for on-the-spot testing, greater vigilance and consumer awareness.
Seasonal food safety drives are not new. FSSAI had directed States and Union Territories to carry out special drives during the 2024 festive period. Similar directions were issued around Holi in 2025, when States were asked to intensify inspections and sampling and use Food Safety on Wheels at hotspots, borders and major markets where available. The repeated checks reflect a simple concern. Festivals mean more people buying food, more food being prepared and more products moving through the market at the same time. For enforcement teams, it becomes important to catch violations before they reach a larger number of consumers.
For consumers, however, food safety does not stop with an inspection. Where food is bought, how it is stored once it reaches home and how long it is kept can also make a difference. Milk-based sweets and other perishable foods, in particular, need to be handled and consumed with care. As the festive rush picks up, the additional inspections are meant to ensure that the demand for food does not come at the cost of what is on people’s plates. For food businesses, it means greater attention to the way products are prepared, stored and sold. For consumers, it is a reminder to be a little more careful about what they buy and where they buy it. With sweets, milk products, snacks and beverages set to remain in demand through the festive season, the aim is to make sure that the celebrations do not give way to unsafe food reaching the dining table.
