India: Thirty seven mango juice outlets sealed in two days

The health department of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation swung into action against traders selling mango juice and other products and sealed around 37 outlets and destroyed 1,800 litre mango juice in two days in the east zone of the city.

The department sealed mango juice centres and dairy outlets for selling seasonal juices without obtaining licence from the civic authorities.

The health department officials raided outlets in Nikol, Khokara, Amraiwadi, Bapunagar, Mahadevnagar, among many other places in the east zone of the city.

Majority of the traders sell mango juice at lucrative rates, which looking at the current fruit prices, will not be very affordable to them, if they do not mix with other cheaper commodities. "The traders use papaya, gram flour, sugar syrup along with pumpkin. Moreover, the hyper-level of food colour is also not permitted in mango and other food products," an official of the AMC's health department told DNA on Sunday.

The increase in number of gastroenteritis cases in summer is due to such adulterated food products. "People should avoid such food products so that they should not have any health-related problems," said official.

The officials also said that the department may carry out raids on more outlets in the city. They have identified nearly 1400-1500 outlets operating without obtaining health licence from AMC.