Pan-India Khoya survey after sample failures in Delhi: Food regulator

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 22

Ahead of the festive season, apex food regulator has launched a pan India quality survey of Khoya, an essential ingredient of all India sweets.

Khoya or mawais is widely used in preparing most sweets.

The survey follows a recent representation to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India by the Federation of Sweets and Namkeen manufacturers who said they were being supplied adulterated khoya.

A pilot survey in Delhi under the guidance of FSSAI recently showed sample failure of some Khoya samples which led to the FSSAI launch a national survey.

Samples were tested for acidity, maximum added starch, added sugar, urea, detergent and neutralizers. 

“There was some sample failure which is why a decision was taken to launch an all India khoya survey,” CEO of FSSAI Arun Singhal said today.

Commissioners of Food Safety of all states and UTs have been asked to earmark khoya mandis in big cities and test samples.

So far 700 samples from 15 states have been collected and more are on the way.

“Test results are expected in a month. These will help identify key hot spots for adulteration of khoya in India and strengthen state efforts in devising targeted enforcement drives to ensure a supply of safe quality sweets to every Indian,” FSSAI said.