Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s food safety enforcement drive has yielded nearly Rs 96 lakh in penalties over the past two years, with authorities cracking down on violators as part of intensified efforts to curb adulteration and ensure safe food for consumers, health minister Mukesh Mahaling informed the assembly on Monday. Berhampur collected the highest Rs 23.36 lakh, followed by Sundargarh (Rs 5.47 lakh) and Angul (Rs 3.34 lakh), according to the latest enforcement data.In a written reply to Cuttack-Choudwar MLA Souvik Biswal on measures taken to curb food adulteration in the state, Mahaling said the authorities have filed 431 cases — 298 adjudication proceedings and 133 prosecution cases — and destroyed around 428 quintals of adulterated food during the enforcement exercise across the state.According to the latest enforcement data, officials imposed Rs 95.91 lakh in penalties following inspections, sampling and seizure of food products suspected to be unsafe or adulterated. A total of 7,392 legal samples and 32,498 surveillance samples were collected across districts.The highest 2,331 legal samples were collected in Ganjam, followed by Balasore (1,216) and Cuttack (1,127). As many as 196 legal samples and 1,305 surveillance samples were collected in Khurda, which includes the state capital region, the enforcement data showed. In Bhubaneswar, 3,431 samples of 3,223 kg of food items were seized and Rs 3.68 lakh penalties were collected.In Cuttack, 1,621 samples were seized and about 120 quintals of adulterated food destroyed. Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) collected Rs 3.32 lakh in penalties, with 13 adjudication and four prosecution cases.