A food safety inspection team carried out a major regulatory check at a dark store operated by quick-commerce platform Zepto in the Pratap Nagar locality of Jaipur. The sudden inspection was part of the statewide campaign titled 'Shuddh Aahar-Milawat Par Waar', which targets adulteration, improper storage, and substandard consumer food products across urban hubs. During the physical check, officials discovered severe compromises in hygiene and storage protocols, including roughly 25 kilograms of expired food items that were past their use-by dates. The enforcement team condemned the compromised inventory and destroyed the entire lot immediately at the site to prevent it from reaching consumers.
Hazardous Co-Storage of Pesticides Alongside Packaged Groceries
Upon reviewing the distribution layout inside the warehouse, inspectors discovered toxic pesticides stored in direct proximity to edible grocery items. Maintaining hazardous chemicals beside daily provisions represents a clear violation of basic handling norms, drawing sharp objections from the inspection personnel. Furthermore, frozen and fresh non-vegetarian products were not preserved according to mandated temperature controls and segregated cold-chain guidelines. Such negligence creates significant risks of cross-contamination, rapidly degrading product quality and jeopardizing public health.
Foul Odours in Milk Chillers, Dirty Racks, and Rodent Infestations
The sanitary conditions inside the specialized dairy storage units were equally troubling. Inside the milk chiller, spilled milk had collected across internal surfaces and was emitting a foul stench. Inspection of standard shelving units revealed substandard cleanliness, while pest management mechanisms completely failed to meet required commercial hygiene benchmarks. Most critically, several active rat holes were detected along the warehouse walls, right where food inventory was stocked. The evident presence of rodents near unsealed and packed consumables highlighted glaring lapses in foundational pest control practices.
Official Sampling of Cooking Oil, Ghee, and Packaged Goods
To verify the chemical and physical integrity of the inventory, the enforcement team collected formal product samples for comprehensive laboratory evaluation. The seized samples included mustard oil, desi ghee, Maggi noodles, peanut namkeen, and turmeric powder. These sealed batches are being forwarded to an accredited food testing facility, where specialized analysis will determine whether the products comply with statutory standards. Definite regulatory conclusions regarding contamination or sub-standard grades will emerge once formal lab findings are published.
Enforcement Under the Clean Food Campaign
The operation represents an extension of intensive monitoring conducted under the ongoing pure food and anti-adulteration drive across the state. Additional Commissioner of Food Safety Bhagwat Singh outlined the details of the operation, stating that departmental inspection units are continuously screening storage warehouses and retail centers to ensure strict compliance. He affirmed that alongside destroying the expired stock at the Pratap Nagar center, official samples were secured for systematic scrutiny, and further departmental proceedings will proceed in accordance with the forthcoming laboratory results.
