States » EastPosted at: Oct 24 2026 9:50PM


Bihar food safety drive: 531 establishments inspected, two licences suspended

Patna, Oct 24 (UNI) The Bihar Food Safety Department has inspected 531 food establishments across the state as part of a special enforcement drive aimed at ensuring the availability of safe, hygienic and quality food to consumers.
Official sources said here on Saturday that the campaign, launched under the directions of Health Minister Nishant, covers hotels, restaurants, sweet shops, dairy units, food manufacturing facilities, packaged drinking water plants and online food retailers. Patna recorded the highest number of inspections, with 87 establishments checked so far.
During the drive, licences of two establishments were suspended, while prosecution proceedings were initiated against 15 food businesses. Improvement notices were also issued to establishments found violating prescribed food safety standards.
In Patna, food safety teams seized and destroyed several unsafe and expired food products, including spoiled paneer, sweets, milk, cooking oil and other food items. The department also recorded action involving around 15,340 litres of packaged drinking water, 3,456 kg of milk cake, 155 kg of gulab jamun, 96 kg of rasgulla and 170 kg of assorted sweets and paneer.
Inspections of packaged drinking water units in Sampatchak, Gaurichak and adjoining areas revealed alleged irregularities, including operations without valid food licences and the use of labels of different brands. Packaged water was seized from units, including Mahadev Enterprises and Triveni Neer, while samples were sent to laboratories for testing.
The department also ordered the closure of operations at units found violating the prescribed requirements.
Several hotels and restaurants in Patna, including Hotel Gargee Grand, Pataliputra Exotica, The Panache and Hotel Maurya, were inspected. Officials found deficiencies relating to kitchen hygiene, food storage, employee health certificates and water testing.
In some establishments, vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items were stored together, while expired and spoiled food products were also detected. The establishments were issued notices allowing 14 days to rectify the deficiencies.
At Santosh Sweets in Vijay Nagar, 3,344 kg of milk cake and 112 kg of peda were seized, with an estimated value of Rs 5.24 lakh. At Govardhan Sweets in Hanuman Nagar, action was taken against 170 kg of foul-smelling sweets and paneer. Other sweet shops were also directed to improve hygiene, packaging and storage practices.
During inspections conducted on October 21 at several KFC, Barbeque Nation and Pizza Hut outlets in Patna, officials seized and destroyed 30 kg of foul-smelling paneer and 4 kg of rice at a Barbeque Nation outlet on Budh Marg. The use of another 15 kg of packaged chicken was prohibited.
At a Barbeque Nation outlet on Fraser Road, insects were found in bread packets and 20 litres of burnt cooking oil were seized and destroyed. At a KFC outlet on Boring Canal Road, the use of 835 plastic glasses intended for industrial use was prohibited.
On October 22, a Blinkit store in Patna was found with 40 litres of expired Amul milk, which was seized and destroyed. At a 9 to 9 store in SK Nagar, officials seized and destroyed 120 litres of expired ghee, 49 kg of flour, 6 kg of spices and 49 kg of refined flour.
The enforcement drive has also covered other districts. During the reported three-month period, Rohtas recorded 41 inspections, followed by Saran with 40, Gopalganj with 37, Siwan with 27, Gaya with 26 and Vaishali with 24. Muzaffarpur recorded 20 inspections, while Bhagalpur and West Champaran reported 18 each.
In Vaishali, the department seized 22,992 litres of packaged drinking water from units allegedly operating without valid licences. A total of 328 kg of adulterated paneer, valued at approximately Rs 85,280, was seized and destroyed at two establishments in Bidupur.
In Supaul, action was taken against 1,560 bottles of packaged drinking water.
Other districts also reported action against unsafe food products. Muzaffarpur recorded action involving 105 kg of paneer, 22 kg of gulab jamun and 12 kg of doda sweets.
In West Champaran, 72 kg of spoiled paneer was destroyed, while Samastipur reported action against 21 litres of expired milk and 18 kg of paneer. Spoiled sweets, cakes, bakery products and repeatedly used cooking oil were also removed from circulation in several districts.
A hotel in Hajipur, Vaishali, faced licence suspension and closure-related action after its kitchen was found unhygienic, officials said.
The department said establishments violating food safety requirements had been directed to rectify deficiencies within 14 days. Under the applicable legal provisions, violations may attract imprisonment of up to three months and fines of up to Rs 3 lakh, depending on the nature of the offence.
To strengthen enforcement, the department has deployed trained personnel as food safety officers in districts after 14 days of initial training and 26 days of on-the-job training. Inspection and raid teams have also been constituted across districts.
The department said regular monitoring would continue, particularly of milk and dairy products, sweets, edible oils, spices, hotels, restaurants, catering services and online food businesses, to ensure compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and related regulations.
UNI RS BM
Tags: #Bihar food safety drive: 531 establishments inspected# two licences suspended
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