Food safety concerns rise in J&K after multiple seizures of contaminated food

SRINAGAR: Food safety concerns are mounting in Jammu and Kashmir, with seizures of contaminated items ranging from biscuits and bottled water to eggs, meat and synthetic cheese, prompting heightened vigilance by authorities.The Food Safety Department (FSD) on Saturday banned the sale, storage and distribution of the packaged drinking water brand Ajwa after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of dangerous bacteria, including E. coli and coliform, in a sample collected from Srinagar.The sample was tested at the National Food Testing Laboratory in Ghaziabad, and the report dated 25 November 2025 confirmed E. coli and coliform contamination, indicating possible faecal contamination and serious health risks. The bottled water brand has been declared unsafe and unfit for consumption.This is the second instance of packaged drinking water being banned in recent weeks. Last month, authorities prohibited the sale of another brand, Snowdrop, after arsenic contamination was detected.Food safety violations have also been detected in packaged food products. On 12 December, FSD found Priya Gold Butter Delite biscuits unsafe for consumption and banned their sale in Anantnag district, south Kashmir, where the sample was collected. Laboratory analysis at the National Food Laboratory in Ghaziabad revealed sulphite levels exceeding permissible limits. Health experts warn that consuming food products with excessive sulphite content could pose health risks, particularly for vulnerable individuals.



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