Rajkot civic body seals 3 food units, destroys 1,020 kg of stale food
Synopsis
Rajkot's civic body uncovered flour packed in animal feed bags destined for human consumption, nearly 2,000 litres of unlabelled flavoured essences, and 5,600 kg of spice powders without mandatory labels — all in a single day's sweep across 75 food establishments. The scale of violations points to systemic lapses in food safety compliance across the city.
Key Takeaways
The Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) sealed 3 food establishments and inspected 75 outlets on 1 August 2025 .
Over 1,020 kg of stale and inedible food was destroyed during the drive.
Notices were issued to 12 establishments ; total administrative charges recovered stood at ₹34,500 .
Kesar Food Products was found using flour packed in 'animal feed' bags for human food preparation.
Shah Food Processing had 5,972 kg of food products and nearly 2,000 litres of unlabelled flavoured essences seized.
Shrinathji Trading held approximately 5,600 kg of spice powders packed without mandatory labels under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 .
The Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) sealed three food establishments, destroyed over 1,020 kg of inedible food, and collected 10 food samples during a city-wide surveillance drive targeting food adulteration and unhygienic practices, officials said on Saturday, 1 August. The operation covered 75 establishments across Rajkot, including restaurants and food processing businesses.
Scale of the Operation
Food safety teams from the RMC Health Department inspected outlets across University Road, the 150-Feet Ring Road, and the Shraddha Park area. During the drive, notices were issued to 12 establishments for violations related to storage, licensing, and hygiene. Administrative charges totalling ₹34,500 were recovered across the city.
Kesar Food Products: Animal Feed Bags Used for Human Food
Kesar Food Products, located in the industrial area near Vavdi village, was among the units sealed. Officials found flour — intended for human food preparation — packed in bags labelled as 'animal feed'. Prepared farsan was also found stored directly on the floor in unhygienic conditions. Around 1,020 kg of sweet shakkarpara and flour was destroyed. The unit was fined ₹5,000, served a notice, and samples of loose sweet shakkarpara and sugar powder were collected.
Shah Food Processing: Unlabelled Essences, No Production Records
Shah Food Processing Private Limited on Gondal Road was sealed after inspectors found the unit operating without required technical personnel and without maintaining batch-wise production records. Premix essences without mandatory labels under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 were found alongside tea and coffee premixes, soft drink concentrates, food additives, preservatives, and soda masala. About 5,972 kg of food products and nearly 2,000 litres of flavoured essences without manufacturing or expiry dates were seized. The unit was fined ₹10,000 and samples of loose mango powder and sweetener were collected.
Shrinathji Trading: 5,600 kg of Unlabelled Spice Stock
Shrinathji Trading, also on Gondal Road, was sealed after officials discovered approximately 5,600 kg of suspected chilli, turmeric, and coriander-cumin powders packed without the labels mandated under the Food Safety and Standards Act. No batch-wise production records were maintained. The establishment was fined ₹10,000 and served a notice for unhygienic storage. Samples of all three spice powders were collected for laboratory testing.
Dairy Outlets and Other Businesses Also Checked
Several other businesses received administrative charges ranging from ₹500 to ₹1,000 for licence-related violations and nuisance. Additional samples of loose mawa, malai, and buffalo milk were collected from dairy outlets as part of the exercise. The RMC has indicated that laboratory results from the collected samples will determine further action, and similar drives are expected to continue across the city.
Point of View
500 in total fines collected across 12 violating establishments is a negligible deterrent for businesses handling tonnes of stock. Unless the RMC publishes lab results from the 10 collected samples and follows through with prosecutions where warranted, this drive risks being a one-day headline rather than a structural shift in food safety accountability in Rajkot.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Rajkot Municipal Corporation find during its food safety drive?
The RMC found flour packed in animal feed bags being used for human food preparation, nearly 2,000 litres of unlabelled flavoured essences, and around 5,600 kg of spice powders without mandatory labels. In total, 75 establishments were inspected and 12 received notices for storage, licensing, and hygiene violations.
Which food units were sealed by the RMC in Rajkot?
Three units were sealed: Kesar Food Products near Vavdi village, Shah Food Processing Private Limited on Gondal Road, and Shrinathji Trading, also on Gondal Road. All three were found in violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
How much food was destroyed and what fines were imposed?
Over 1,020 kg of stale and inedible food was destroyed. Administrative charges totalling ₹34,500 were collected across the city, with individual fines of ₹5,000 and ₹10,000 levied on the sealed units.
What happens next after the food samples are collected?
The 10 food samples collected during the drive will be sent for laboratory analysis. Results will determine whether further legal action, including prosecution under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is initiated against the establishments.
Why is the Rajkot food safety drive significant?
The drive exposed systematic violations — unlabelled stock, missing production records, and raw materials mislabelled as animal feed — across multiple categories of food businesses simultaneously. It highlights gaps in routine compliance monitoring in one of Gujarat's major urban centres.
