Rajkot paneer samples fail safety tests; RMC destroys 269 kg of stale food ahead of Diwali
Synopsis
Ahead of Diwali, Rajkot's civic body found four loose paneer samples from local dairies and food shops failing food safety standards — from excess foreign fat to low milk fat — while destroying 251 kg of adulterated material at a single farsan shop alone. The sweep of 62 establishments reveals how festive-season demand can strain quality controls at the retail food level.
Key Takeaways
Four loose paneer samples from establishments in Rajkot were declared substandard after lab analysis under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 .
The Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) destroyed 269 kg of stale, expired and inedible food during a special pre-Diwali inspection drive covering 62 establishments .
The largest seizure — 251 kg — was at Chamunda Farsan in Sitaram Nagar, including 21 kg of washing soda used in farsan preparation; a penalty of ₹5,000 was collected.
Total administrative charges collected across the drive amounted to ₹11,000 ; adjudication proceedings to be initiated against the four paneer-selling establishments.
Five additional samples — four farsan products and one loose mixed milk — were sent to a laboratory for analysis and results are awaited.
Four samples of loose paneer collected from establishments in Rajkot district have been declared substandard following laboratory analysis under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, while the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) destroyed 269 kg of stale, expired and inedible food products during a special pre-Diwali inspection drive. The findings, announced on 6 November 2026, come as civic authorities stepped up surveillance across food outlets, dairy farms, and restaurants ahead of the festive season.
Paneer Samples That Failed Quality Standards
According to officials, the Food Department's surveillance checks flagged four establishments for substandard paneer. A sample from Fortune Milk & Food Products at Lati Plot was found to contain foreign fat exceeding permissible limits.
A sample from Shri Gayatri Dairy Farm on Punitnagar Main Road showed milk fat content below the prescribed threshold. Two further samples — from Prakashbhai Pravinbhai Harsoda near Satellite Chowk on Morbi Road and Bhagwati Trading at Vijay Plot-11 on Gondal Road — recorded lower-than-required milk fat, while their moisture content and foreign fat levels both exceeded the standards. The RMC said adjudication proceedings would be initiated against all four establishments.
Key Seizures During the Diwali Inspection Drive
As part of a special drive against food adulteration and poor hygiene, the Food Department inspected 62 establishments across the city. The largest single seizure was at Chamunda Farsan in Sitaram Nagar, under the Morbi Road bridge, where officials destroyed approximately 251 kg of material — including 21 kg of washing soda used in farsan preparation, 180 kg of stale spicy papdi, 30 kg of spicy sev and 20 kg of spicy boondi. A notice was issued over unhygienic storage and licensing violations, and a penalty of ₹5,000 was collected.
At The Hamper Store on Satya Sai Road, officials destroyed expired chocolate moulds, roughly 9 kg of chocolates produced using them, and around 18 kg of dark chocolate. A licensing notice was issued and an administrative charge of ₹2,000 was collected. At Avadh Dairy Farm on Mavdi Main Road, a notice was served over hygienic conditions and a sample of loose mixed milk was collected for laboratory analysis.
Samples Sent for Laboratory Analysis
The department collected five additional samples for testing: four farsan products — loose sev, spicy papdi, spicy gathiya and poha chivda — from Chamunda Farsan, and one loose mixed milk sample from Avadh Dairy Farm. All five have been dispatched to a laboratory under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Administrative Action and Compliance Notices
Two establishments received formal notices over storage, licensing and hygiene practices; total administrative charges collected across the drive stood at ₹11,000. Several other establishments — including Shivam Medicines, Pratik Medicines, Shri Ganesh Dairy Farm, Sumit Provision Store, Chitra Provision Stores, Satnam General Stores at Pragati Complex and Krishna Trading in Jivraj Park — were directed to comply with food licensing requirements. The first six were each charged ₹500; Krishna Trading was charged ₹1,000.
The inspection covered areas including Pragati Complex, Rajnagar Chowk, Mayani Nagar Road, Ambika Township and Nana Mava Road. The RMC described the drive as part of its ongoing effort to curb food adulteration and ensure hygiene across food establishments during the festive period. Further results from the samples sent for laboratory testing are awaited.
Point of View
But the fact that all four failing paneer samples came from different establishments — spread across multiple roads — points to a systemic quality-control gap in the loose dairy supply chain, not an isolated lapse. The discovery of washing soda in farsan preparation at Chamunda Farsan is the more alarming finding: it signals deliberate adulteration, not mere carelessness. Adjudication proceedings and ₹11,000 in total penalties may not be a sufficient deterrent given the volume and variety of violations uncovered in a single day. Persistent festive-season adulteration in Tier-2 cities calls for year-round surveillance rather than episodic drives.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Rajkot establishments had paneer samples that failed food safety tests?
Four establishments were flagged: Fortune Milk & Food Products at Lati Plot, Shri Gayatri Dairy Farm on Punitnagar Main Road, Prakashbhai Pravinbhai Harsoda near Satellite Chowk on Morbi Road, and Bhagwati Trading at Vijay Plot-11 on Gondal Road. The deviations included excess foreign fat and below-standard milk fat content, as found during laboratory analysis under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
What food was destroyed during the Rajkot RMC's Diwali inspection drive?
The Rajkot Municipal Corporation destroyed 269 kg of stale, expired and inedible food across 62 establishments. The bulk — 251 kg — was seized from Chamunda Farsan in Sitaram Nagar, comprising 180 kg of stale spicy papdi, 30 kg of spicy sev, 20 kg of spicy boondi and 21 kg of washing soda used in farsan preparation.
What action is the RMC taking against the establishments?
The RMC has initiated adjudication proceedings against the four establishments whose paneer samples failed quality tests. Notices were issued to other shops over storage, hygiene and licensing violations, and administrative charges totalling ₹11,000 were collected across the drive.
Why did the food inspections take place ahead of Diwali?
The Rajkot Municipal Corporation conducts special food safety drives during the festive season because demand for dairy products, sweets and snacks rises sharply, increasing the risk of adulteration and the sale of expired or substandard items. The drive covered food outlets, restaurants, dairy farms, farsan shops, bakeries and provision stores.
Are further test results expected from the Rajkot food inspection?
Yes. Five samples — four farsan products (loose sev, spicy papdi, spicy gathiya and poha chivda) from Chamunda Farsan and one loose mixed milk sample from Avadh Dairy Farm — were sent to a laboratory for analysis and results are still awaited.
