Ensure safe food

The recent seizure of five quintals of unsafe namkeen snacks and the sealing of a production unit in Srinagar by the Food Safety Department is a stark reminder of the growing threat to food safety in our markets. The seizure comes over a month after the unsafe meat was reportedly being sold. This fresh seizure of namkeen snacks points to deeper issues of negligence, weak regulation and a lack of accountability in the food supply chain. Safe food is a basic right. Therefore, the repeated detection of adulterated or unsafe products raises serious questions about the effectiveness of food safety monitoring. Many food processing units operate without proper licenses or hygiene standards, putting public health at serious risk. While the department’s actions are commendable, there is a dire need for a more comprehensive and preventive approach. Regular inspections, surprise raids and stricter licensing norms must be implemented. Offenders should face heavy penalties including license cancellation and prosecution. Equally important is public awareness. Consumers must be educated on how to identify substandard or unsafe food. Transparency in naming violators and making inspection results public will also help consumers make informed choices. Ensuring safe food requires coordination between government bodies, manufacturers, vendors and consumers. It is time to move beyond temporary crackdowns and adopt long-term, systemic reforms. Unsafe food is a silent threat as it doesn’t just harm health, it erodes trust. The government must treat food safety as a public health priority.