Food Safety / BMC Raids Expose Expired Food, Expired Items in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Aug 30: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Food Safety Team has stepped up surveillance across the city, conducting checks at hotels, eateries, and food establishments in the Unit‑2 area.

Officials reported major lapses in hygiene and food safety standards during the inspections. Six establishments were raided, and approximately 40 kg of obnoxious food was destroyed.

At the Bharat Petroleum In&Out retail mart, inspectors seized nearly 30 kg of frozen expired food products. Expired items of various brands were destroyed on the spot, and the outlet was fined ₹1 lakh for violations.

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BMC reiterated its commitment to safeguarding public health through strict enforcement and surveillance.

Earlier this week, sweet shops across prominent areas of the capital — including Rajmahal Square, Keshari Chhak, Saheed Nagar, Nayapalli, and Unit‑9 — have witnessed fewer customers this week. Shopkeepers had prepared a wide variety of sweets for Raksha Bandhan, but many reported that the expected festive rush has not materialised.

Consumers expressed concerns about the quality of sweets, questioning whether they were being prepared with adulterated cottage cheese. Some feared possible health risks, opting instead for fruits, biscuits, and cakes. Others said they were buying only small quantities of sweets to maintain the tradition.

Even ahead of the festival, the Food Safety Department conducted surprise inspections in Balangir and Titilagarh to curb the sale of unsafe sweets and dairy products.

In Balangir, surprise checks assisted by Sadar police led to the collection of nine food samples for laboratory testing. Officials destroyed four kilograms of stale food and 20 expired items, issuing show‑cause notices to three establishments and imposing fines of ₹2,000.

Similar raids in Titilagarh resulted in the collection of 13 samples, including paneer, khua, chhena, and assorted sweets. Around 20 kg of unhygienic food was confiscated and destroyed, with shopkeepers fined ₹8,500.