Orders continuous field inspections, sampling, and strict action against violators
Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): Haryana Health Minister Arti Singh Rao has directed the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Department to maintain strict vigil over the quality and safety of buckwheat flour (kuttu ka atta) and other fasting items throughout the Navratri festival. She instructed officials to conduct continuous market inspections, draw samples for laboratory testing, and take stringent punitive action against anyone found selling adulterated or substandard goods. Alongside these administrative measures, she urged the general public to practice caution and refrain from purchasing or consuming questionable food items.
Acting immediately on the minister’s directives, Dr. Manoj Kumar, Commissioner of the Food and Drugs Administration Department, Haryana, instructed field personnel to closely monitor vendors dealing in fasting foods. In response to the seasonal surge in demand, the department issued a comprehensive advisory warning that improper storage, handling, or poor hygiene can render buckwheat flour hazardous, leading to acute food poisoning. Consuming stale, moisture-affected, moldy, or contaminated flour can cause severe health complications, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever.
The advisory underscored the statutory standards set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for coarse grains. Under these benchmarks, the maximum moisture content in buckwheat must not exceed 13.0 percent. Extraneous matter is strictly capped at 1.0 percent by mass—including no more than 0.25 percent mineral matter and 0.10 percent impurities of animal or foreign origin—while the presence of other edible grains cannot surpass 2.0 percent.
Food business operators and shopkeepers have been directed to source stock exclusively from reputable suppliers registered with or licensed by FSSAI. Traders must verify packaging dates, expiry periods, batch numbers, and seal integrity before purchase. Buckwheat flour must be stored in clean, well-ventilated, dry facilities far away from pests and chemicals, with the sale of old, rancid, or mold-infested stocks strictly prohibited.
Consumers are advised to purchase only sealed, properly labeled packets from trusted outlets and verify the mandatory FSSAI registration details printed on the pack. Any flour displaying strange odors, lumps, discoloration, or insect traces should be discarded immediately. Meals prepared using buckwheat flour must be cooked thoroughly prior to consumption. If symptoms like stomach cramps, dizziness, or vomiting emerge after eating, individuals should bypass home remedies and seek prompt medical attention at a healthcare facility.
