Public Health Lab finds bacteria in 8 food samples collected from BMC area

Kolkata: The Public Health Laboratory has found bacteria in eight out of 13 food samples, which they had received from Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Altogether, the BMC had collected 33 food samples that were sent for examinations.

The BMC authorities have expressed concerns after receiving the report. The civic authorities will send them to the state Health department, Pranay Roy, Member, Mayor-in-Council (health) said on Tuesday.

The BMC had conducted raids at the restaurants situated in Salt Lake, Baguiati and Rajarhat, the area that fall under its jurisdiction after reports of carcass meat being sold in different parts in the city were reported.

It may be mentioned that the BMC had closed a restaurant after it was found that the kitchen had not been maintained properly.

Stray dogs were found loitering in the kitchen and the utensils had not been kept well.The BMC officials had raided several restaurants situated in Salt Lake, Baguiati and Eastern Metropolitan bypass and collected food samples.

The report said that out of 13 samples, 8 contained bacteria like Staphylococcus, E. Coli and Coliform. It was found that most of the restaurants from where the cooked food samples and packed food samples had been collected are well known ones.

The BMC will send the reports to the state Health department for further action. The civic authorities are waiting for the results of the remaining food samples.

"We well send the report to the state Health department and will take action as per their instructions," said a

BMC official.

City-based doctors said it is really alarming that big restaurants are not maintaining the quality. "We cannot ask people not to go to the restaurants and only eat home food. It is not possible to carry home food always. But if the quality of food is not maintained then where can common people go," said the official.