71 containers of spurious ghee seized

Surat: Health department teams of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) raided two outlets in Varachha and took samples of ghee sold in SUMUL Dairy containers, which dairy officials said were counterfeit. The stores were raided based on intelligence and SMC teams were joined by SUMUL officials and police.
Seventy-one one-litre containers of ghee were seized from the shops, worth Rs 44,730.Each was being sold for Rs 630.
Checking was conducted at Prime Store on LH Road and AK Road. SMC teams collected samples and sent them for testing. Further action will be taken against the seller based on the test results. Food department teams will investigate where the containers were sourced from.
"We received information about spurious ghee being sold. The containers look like the original product, but SUMUL officials confirmed that they were counterfeit," said an SMC officer. In the past, spurious ghee being sold under leading brand names had come to light in the city and legal action was taken against the sellers and manufacturers.
Sales of ghee and other milk products increase during the festive season. Food department teams collect samples at regular intervals to ensure that quality food products are being sold.
Some 20 samples of fafda-ganthiya and jalebis taken on Thursday were found to be of good quality with no harmful ingredients.