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Ahead of the festive season, the Delhi government’s Food Safety department has found hygiene and food-handling lapses at several sweet manufacturing units and establishments across the Capital, including signs of pest activity in storage areas and employees handling food without gloves, officials said on Tuesday.

The department collected samples of khoya, barfi, rasbhari, laddoos and other food products from multiple establishments for laboratory testing. Further action will be taken on the basis of the test reports, officials added.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government would not compromise on public health during the festive season, when demand for sweets and other food products typically rises. “The true joy of festivals lies in ensuring that every family can trust the hygiene and quality of the food it buys for its home,” she said, stressing the need for compliance with prescribed food safety and hygiene standards.

Gupta said food businesses must take responsibility for maintaining hygiene, ensuring safe storage, training employees, and following proper food-handling practices. She added that awareness, accountability, and adherence to prescribed standards were essential to protecting public health during the festive season.

During an inspection at Kali Ghata Sweets’ manufacturing unit in the Vidya Vihar (Hastsal) Industrial Area in West Delhi, the department found unsatisfactory hygiene and cleanliness, according to an official statement. Improvements were also required at its Uttam Nagar outlet, it read. Four samples — kesar rasbhari, aloo bhujia, ghee and palak boondi — were collected from the two premises.

At Bhikaram Chandmal Private Limited in Chandni Chowk, inspectors flagged shortcomings in hygiene and cleanliness and collected samples of khoya and rasbhari. Lapses in compliance with prescribed standards were also reported at both manufacturing units of Aman Mithaiwala in the Narela Industrial Complex, where samples of barfi and milk cake were collected.

At Evergreen Sweet House in Okhla Phase-II, the statement underlined, inspectors found signs of pest activity in the storage area.

The establishment could not produce its water testing report during the inspection, while employees were found handling food without gloves. Samples of boondi dana and khoya were collected.

Inspections at Puri Baker and Bansiwala Sweets in the Badli Industrial Area also revealed deficiencies related to the display of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licences, training of food handlers and packaging-related documentation. Samples of yellow-coloured rasmalai and fat emulsion used in cake preparation were collected, said officials.

At Grover Sweet Corner in Naraina, general hygiene was found satisfactory, but inspectors noted open dustbins, employees’ clothes kept in the work area and the absence of insect-proof mesh on windows, the statement read. Water and product testing reports were also unavailable. Samples of khoya and boondi laddoos were collected.

Singla Sweets in IP Extension was flagged for peeling ceiling plaster, the absence of insect-proof mesh on windows and grease accumulation on the exhaust system. Inspectors also found that food stored in the freezer was not properly segregated and labelled. Samples of khoya and kaju bites were collected.

At Meethi Foods in Naraina, inspectors found cobwebs on the chimney, inadequate measures to prevent pest entry and no designated space for employees to keep personal belongings. The prepared premix was also not labelled with its manufacturing date. Samples of kaju barfi and khajoor barfi were collected.

The department also collected samples of pista barfi and khoya from Chaina Ram Sindhi Halwai in Chandni Chowk, kesar peda from Haldiram Marketing on Mathura Road, almonds from Bikanerwala in Okhla, and peda from Heera Sweets in the Patparganj Industrial Area.

The department said further action in these cases would depend on the findings of laboratory tests.