Tamil Nadu: 278 kg of expired dates seized from Coimbatore e-commerce warehouse

COIMBATORE: Food safety department officials seized and destroyed around 278 kg of expired dates from an e-commerce warehouse in Coimbatore on Wednesday. A team led by T Anuradha, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), inspected the warehouse of an e-commerce firm in Othakalmandapam near Pollachi. The officials lifted samples of dates without stickers indicating the expiry date stocked up in the warehouse. As the dates were found to be expired, they seized and destroyed them by pouring phenyl.

“Inspections were carried out in 37 warehouses of various e-commerce sellers across the district over the last three days. All the firms had a requisite license. They were instructed not to sell expired food items and rectify certain shortcomings. The seized dates were destroyed and a notice has been served to the e-commerce firm seeking an explanation,” said T Anuradha.

The official said that similar raids will be conducted in the coming days also to ensure sale of quality food items by e-commerce firms. A meeting will be convened soon with e-commerce firms in this regard, she said.