Cuttack: In view of surge in demand for sweets during festive season, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) launched a drive to ensure the quality of food and hygienic practices in the shops selling the sweet items in the city on Thursday.
The food squad of the CMC, which carried out raids on sweet shops, conducted test to verify use of artificial colours, chemical additives and stale ingredients in preparation of different items.
Many shops, stalls and kiosks, which were found violating the food safety guidelines, were closed down by the squad during the raids. The CMC team also warned others of facing stern actions if they fail to strictly follow the safety guidelines.
Since poor quality sweets made with cheap materials lead to serious health hazards, the inspection would continue till Dussehra when the demand of goes up substantially, said CMC sources.
Some local traders welcomed the CMC drive on the ground that it will keep food manufactures on their toes. They were apprehensive of the packaged sweets imported from outside the city.
