Top restaurant found using crumbs with artificial colours

Kolkata: Food safety officers of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Thursday conducted a food drive in North Kolkata and found the bread crumbs used in Bhojohari Manna restaurant beside Star Theatre containing artificial colours and the same thing for fish fries of Basanta Cabin at Beadon Street of inferior quality.

The team led by Member Mayor-in-Council (Health) Atin Ghosh began from Vivekananda Road near Hatibagan. The drive, similar in nature to that of South Kolkata on Wednesday, involved both restaurants and wayside eateries.

Bhojohari Manna restaurant was using bread crumbs in packets marked by Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), however, on examination it was revealed that it had artificial colours. "We would take up the matter directly with the manufacturing company and will urge them to improve the standard," Ghosh said.

A crate of fish fry fillets was destroyed after it was found that the bread crumbs used by Basanta Cabin was not approved by FSSAI. "The authorities readily agreed and said they would be using the stuff approved by FSSAI," an officer said. A big handi of biryani at restaurant Fusion was also destroyed after it was found that the stuff contained metallic yellow colour which is detrimental to health.

Ghosh was happy to find that even street tea stalls selling ghugni were using branded turmeric. "Interestingly, 85 percent of the restaurants in Hedua were using FSSAI approved products. These show that our awareness drive for quality food is yielding results," he added.