Sanand, Oct 11 (IANS): Around 6,825 kg of spurious ghee valued at over Rs 37 lakh was seized during a raid at a company's warehouse in Gujarat's Sanand city.

State Food and Drugs Department said the warehouse, Risk India Foods, was found storing a large batch of questionable ghee, raising concerns over the safety of food products being sold during the festival period.

"The increasing trade of adulterated food items during the festive season has been a recurring issue, with counterfeit ghee, oil, and other food items frequently being discovered. Unscrupulous traders often take advantage of the high demand during the celebrations to sell fake or adulterated products, posing serious risks to public health," officials shared.

The officials raided the warehouse and confiscated 6,825 kg of ghee, branded as Satvik.

The seized stock is estimated to be worth Rs 37,83,974. Three ghee samples were sent for testing to determine whether they met food safety standards.

The Food and Drugs Department has assured the public that "additional raids will be conducted throughout the festive season to identify and take action against any other sellers involved in the trade of adulterated food products. Public health remains the top priority, and strict measures will be enforced to ensure the safety of consumers during the festive period."

In June 2024, authorities seized over 3,000 kg of adulterated ghee during a raid at a facility in Navsari. The raid, conducted by the Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA), also confiscated palm oil, allegedly mixed with the ghee to reduce production costs.

The operation, which took place at Shiv Food Products in Onchi village, followed intelligence reports about malpractices at the facility.

Goods worth approximately Rs 14 lakh were seized during the raid. The brand in question, Sukhwant, was investigated for selling adulterated products.