Bhubaneswar, Aug 28: The Odisha Food Safety Department has intensified enforcement and inspection drives across the state ahead of the upcoming festive season, destroying 3,605 kg of substandard food items and collecting fines totalling ₹2,84,500, according to an official statement.

The inspections are being conducted under the supervision of Food Safety Commissioner Dr Poma Tudu at food business establishments across various districts, subdivisions, municipal areas and other locations to ensure the quality and safety of food products available to consumers.

As part of the ongoing campaign, officials have collected 475 food samples for laboratory testing. Adulterated and substandard food items detected during inspections were destroyed, while action was initiated against establishments found violating food safety norms.

The highest quantity of substandard food items, 787 kg, was destroyed in the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) area, where 61 samples were collected and fines of ₹68,500 were imposed.

In the Kataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) area, 570 kg of food items were destroyed, while 123 kg were destroyed in the Raurkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) area.

At the district level, 120 kg of food items were destroyed in Puri, 98 kg in Balasore, 95 kg each in Dhenkanal and Kendrapara, and 70 kg in Sundargarh. Fines of ₹44,000 were imposed in Kendrapara, ₹28,000 in Dhenkanal and ₹31,500 in Bhadrak.

The department said the campaign aims to ensure safe and hygienic food while creating greater awareness among food business operators about food safety standards.

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