Challenging the Food Safety department’s flash checking and awareness drive against the processing and sale of unsafe food, a number of unlicensed food manufacturing units are suspected of entering the market to cash in on the Onam season. The operators of these unregistered ventures are reportedly bypassing all mandatory licensing norms and safety checks set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).Functionaries of the All Kerala Caterers Association, who recently voiced strong protest against this trend, said that unlicensed food manufacturers and suppliers are undermining the seasonal sales opportunities of approved operators. In the district alone, they claimed, these unlicensed food business operators were challenging the livelihoods of around 200 catering units registered under the FSSAI.“A major issue to address is the creation of identical logos and brand names to sell low-quality products. Many customers, in their rush to shop, are unaware or do not notice this,” said a State-level functionary of the association. He added that such fake sellers were also giving special offers to dominate the festival market.Products packed without following the mandatory labelling instructions by the Legal Metrology department are also available in the retail market, according to approved caterers. They said such ventures could be exposed only by constituting additional checking squads.“Since the beginning of the Onam season, many local groups have been involved in wayside sales of food items, especially payasam. This occurs while the Food Safety department is intensifying inspections to ensure food safety,” said Vayalil Biju, a registered caterer. He complained that those behind these brisk businesses were ignoring all regulations, while approved caterers struggled with rigid enforcement activities.Meanwhile, sources in the Food Safety and Legal Metrology department said that their special squads are actively conducting inspections as part of the Onam special drive. Complaints regarding fake products or those sold without adhering to FSSAI guidelines would be taken seriously, they added. They also pointed out that the vigilance of these special squads had led to the highest number of food adulteration cases being registered in the district during the 2023-24 fiscal year. Published – September 11, 2024 11:26 pm IST