Lucknow, Oct. 18 -- In a sweeping enforcement campaign ahead of Diwali and Bhai Dooj, the FSDA Lucknow has seized suspected adulterated food items worth Rs 62 lakh. In over 200 targeted raids, FSDA officials confiscated and later destroyed 12,200 kg of unsafe consumables, including paneer, khoya, vanaspati ghee, edible oil, sweets, and besan, valued at more than Rs 22 lakh. During this period, 165 samples were collected for laboratory analysis. This seizure is double that of last year said assistant commissioner FSDA, Lucknow, VP Singh. Synthetic khoya unit busted, owner arrested One of the most significant breakthroughs came with the detection and shutdown of a synthetic khoya manufacturing unit in Para, Lucknow. The unit's owner, Deepak alias Golu Shukla, was arrested after FSDA filed an FIR for food adulteration. According to officials, the unit was producing counterfeit khoya using a dangerous mix of skimmed milk powder, maize starch, vanaspati ghee, and unidentified white powder-suspected to be detergent or talcum powder-to replicate the texture and colour of real khoya. The reason for such a big haul of adulterated food items is because of a shift in strategies by the FSDA officials across the state. Instead of raiding small shops, this time, supply chains were targeted, the vehicles carrying khoya, paneer and other items were searched and seized. Recent inspections indicate that paneer, khoya and other high-demand items are being trafficked in disguised consignments using sophisticated concealment methods. This has prompted FSDA to ramp up surveillance along key transport corridors. "The challenge now is interception during transit. The adulterers are getting smarter, and so are we," said a senior FSDA official. As of October 16, statewide enforcement by FSDA has led to the seizure of over 3,394 quintals (3.39 lakh kg) of adulterated food products, valued at Rs 4.76 crore. Out of this, 1,463 quintals (Rs 2.34 crore) worth of unsafe food has already been destroyed. Major operations were reported from districts such as Mathura, Aligarh, Budaun, Ghazipur, Bulandshahr, Prayagraj, Sambhal, Kanpur, and Saharanpur. In Mathura, four FIRs were filed against dairies found using adulterants, and six licenses were suspended. In Aligarh, over 19,000 kg of adulterated food was destroyed, and another 4,188 kg was seized for testing. Similar enforcement actions were reported across several districts, targeting spurious sweets, milk, paneer, ghee, and edible oils. FSDA secretary Roshan Jacob emphasised that the campaign is focused on organised adulteration networks, particularly in supplier regions like Mathura and Agra, which cater to Delhi-NCR markets. "There will be no action against small shopkeepers or workers. Our goal is to dismantle large-scale supply chains of adulterated food," Jacob said....