New Delhi, October 23: The Delhi government’s Food Safety Department has seized more than 322 kg of ghee during inspections of retail stores offering heavy discounts ahead of the festive season. The action was taken amid concerns over the quality, pricing and safety of food products being sold in the national capital. Officials said the inspections aimed to prevent the sale of adulterated, substandard, expired and incorrectly labelled food items.
The inspections focused on shops advertising attractive offers on social media, including “Buy One, Get One Free” deals and discounts of up to 60 per cent. Authorities examined whether the products complied with food safety standards and whether retailers were following the prescribed regulations.
During inspections at Maxcart Store and Aggarwal Store in Vikaspuri, officials collected five enforcement samples of ghee from different brands, along with five samples of other food products. More than 75.50 litres of ghee was seized during the operation.
In a separate inspection at Aggarwal Store in Hastal village, the department collected three enforcement samples of ghee sold under the Shri Shan, Vrinda Farms and Avtar brands. Officials seized another 246 kg of the product from the premises.
The department said the samples would be assessed and laboratory test reports examined before further action was taken in accordance with the law. The seizure forms part of the Delhi government’s broader campaign to strengthen food safety monitoring during the festive period, when demand for dairy products, sweets and other food items generally increases.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government would not tolerate food adulteration or irregularities that could endanger public health. She urged consumers to remain cautious while purchasing food products, particularly those being sold at unusually steep discounts.
The latest action follows a wider inspection drive across Delhi’s food supply chain. Earlier checks at warehouses and storage facilities operated by online grocery and quick-commerce businesses reportedly uncovered expired products, unhygienic storage conditions and pest-related problems. The department has also been examining ghee samples collected from markets across the capital.
Officials have emphasised that food businesses must maintain proper hygiene, storage conditions, packaging and labelling. Establishments found violating food safety requirements may face further regulatory action depending on the nature of the violations and the findings of laboratory tests.
Consumers have been advised to check product packaging, manufacturing dates, expiry dates and other mandatory details before making purchases. Authorities have also urged shoppers to be careful about unusually attractive promotional offers and to buy food products from reliable sellers.
The Delhi government said inspections would continue as part of efforts to ensure that safe and quality food reaches consumers during the festive season.
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