A food safety department team inspected the mess and cafeteria at UPES University in Dehradun on Friday to assess compliance with food safety standards. Officials collected samples of water, cooked dal and vegetable and sent them to a laboratory for testing.
The department said further action will be taken according to the test results. The inspection was conducted as part of an ongoing campaign to check food quality and safety at food establishments across Uttarakhand.
Documents and facilities checked
Acting on the directions of Food Safety and Drug Administration Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey, officials reviewed the quality of food served on the university campus, hygiene arrangements and the availability of safe drinking water.
The team also examined the university’s food licence, water-testing report, medical fitness certificates for employees, pest-control certificate and records related to food safety training. University management provided the relevant documents during the inspection.
The department said food safety compliance is particularly important in messes and cafeterias at educational institutions because large numbers of students eat there. Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey said providing students with safe and good-quality food is a priority.
If the laboratory examination of the collected samples finds irregularities, action will be taken under the applicable rules. The department did not disclose the test results during the inspection.
The inspection team included Manju Tiwari, senior food safety officer, Vikasnagar, and Ramesh Singh, senior food safety officer, Dehradun Municipal Corporation, along with other officials.
Checks at other university and college messes
The department had also conducted a raid at the mess of Dev Bhoomi University 2 days earlier as part of efforts to ensure safe food for students. Several food samples were collected there and sent for laboratory testing.
Officials reportedly did not find employees’ fitness certificates or a water-testing report at the site. The university mess remains open, according to the report.
On the same day, the mess at Doon Medical College was sealed after officials found several irregularities. The inspection there also found cockroaches and other unhygienic conditions.
The department said inspections and monitoring of food establishments will continue across Uttarakhand. For students and university staff, the laboratory results from the UPES samples will determine whether any further regulatory action is required.
Conclusion
The UPES mess and cafeteria remain under review after water, cooked dal and vegetable samples were sent for laboratory testing. The next step will depend on the findings, with action possible if the reports identify violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What did the food safety team inspect at UPES?
The team inspected the university’s mess and cafeteria, including food quality, hygiene and safe drinking-water arrangements.
Q. Which samples were collected?
Samples of water, cooked dal and vegetable were collected and sent for laboratory testing.
Q. What documents were checked?
Officials checked the food licence, water-testing report, employee medical fitness certificates, pest-control certificate and food safety training records.
Q. Who directed the inspection?
The inspection was conducted on the directions of Food Safety and Drug Administration Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey.
Q. What happens if irregularities are found?
The department said action will be taken under the applicable rules if laboratory testing identifies irregularities.
Q. Were other institutional messes inspected?
Yes. The department had inspected the Dev Bhoomi University mess 2 days earlier, while the Doon Medical College mess was sealed after irregularities were found.
