Bhubaneswar: Intensifying its crackdown on adulterated dairy products, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday seized nearly 100 kg of stale paneer from exclusive shops and hotels. The raids, carried out by the civic body’s food safety wing, come in response to mounting complaints of substandard paneer being sold in the city ahead of Rakhi Purnima.Designated food safety officer Satyajit Patel said the suspected contamination was detected at paneer kiosks and hotels dealing in sweets and dairy items. “We have instituted cases under the Food Safety Act and served improvement notices on shops. In two days around two quintals of paneer has been seized from multiple locations and we trashed them as they were found unfit for consumption,” Patel said.BMC officials confirmed that two samples of paneer suspected to contain harmful supplements have been sent for laboratory examination. Meanwhile, fine of Rs 12,000 was imposed on 12 shop owners found selling stale paneer. The civic body has warned that further violations will invite stricter penalties and possible prosecution.The crackdown is part of a larger food safety drive that has been going on since April. Between April and June, BMC seized and destroyed 132 kilograms of stale food during raids. Of the 19 food samples sent for laboratory testing during that period, all returned positive for contamination and were deemed unsafe for consumption. Altogether 288 samples were collected during 207 inspections across Bhubaneswar.The enforcement drive is being carried out jointly by the mobile food safety laboratory team, the Sanitation and Hygiene Inspection for Neat Environment (SHINE) team, and food enforcement squads. The SHINE team, formed in Aug 2023, was designed to strengthen sanitation and hygiene monitoring in the city.Officials said the timing of the intensified drive is crucial, as demand for paneer and dairy products spikes during festive seasons. With Rakhi around the corner, the civic body is determined to prevent contaminated food from reaching consumers. “We are committed to ensuring safe food practices in Bhubaneswar. Paneer is widely consumed during festivals, and we cannot allow unsafe products to circulate,” Patel added.The BMC has urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspected cases of adulterated food to its grievance cell.