Kolkata, 07 September (H.S.) :

The Food Safety Department of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation conducted a raid at Gariahat Market on Monday morning, inspecting meat and fish shops to check the quality, storage and safety standards of food products being sold to consumers.

The inspection began soon after traders opened their shops for the day. During checks at several meat shops, officials found large quantities of chicken and mutton stored in crates. The frozen meat had reportedly been packed and stored without proper date markings indicating when it had been preserved or how long it would remain fit for consumption.

According to civic officials, around 10 to 15 kilograms of frozen meat was seized during the operation. The authorities said that frozen meat must carry proper date-related information to ensure that consumers and enforcement officials can determine its safety and shelf life.

Following the seizure, the meat was rendered unfit for consumption before being transported in a municipal vehicle for disposal.

The Food Safety Department also inspected fish shops across the market and collected samples to assess their quality. Samples were collected from individual shops along with details and signatures of the respective traders. The samples will be sent to a laboratory for testing, officials said.

Food safety officers also advised traders to follow proper standards for the storage and handling of raw fish and meat. The department has been conducting inspections at hotels, restaurants, sweet shops and food-processing units across Kolkata in recent days.

The latest operation at Gariahat Market is part of the wider drive to strengthen food safety monitoring and ensure that raw meat and fish sold in city markets meet prescribed quality and safety standards.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh