Food Safety dept bans unlabelled, unsafe meat in Kashmir
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By Shafat Malik
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05 Oct 2025
Srinagar, Oct 05: In response to rising concerns over unregulated meat supplies in Kashmir, the Food Safety Department has announced that only properly labelled and temperature-controlled frozen meat will be allowed into the Valley. Consignments failing to meet these safety standards will remain banned.
“It was essential to halt the influx of meat arriving over the past one to two months without proper labelling and temperature control. That is why we imposed the ban,” said assistant commissioner, Food Safety Department while speaking to reporters.
He said that the ban does not apply to all imported meat but targets only those consignments that violate safety protocols. “Frozen meat brought in with proper labelling and maintained at the correct temperature faces no restrictions. The ban strictly applies to meat transported carelessly and without compliance,” he added.
Samples collected earlier raised serious safety concerns. “Several test reports, available on our website, revealed some meat samples were unsafe due to the presence of synthetic food colours,” Hilal said, dismissing rumours that the seized meat belonged to any prohibited species.
“To clear any doubts, samples sent to the only authorised species-detection laboratory in Hyderabad confirmed that the meat was the same as what is commonly consumed here. Claims that it was dog meat are completely unfounded,” he added.
The department has seized approximately
12,000 kg of unsafe meat, all of which has been destroyed. “The seized meat was handled and disposed of in accordance with safety protocols,” the officer said.
Regarding enforcement, he said Srinagar houses a fully functional food testing lab that regularly examines samples. Species identification, however, is conducted exclusively at the ICMR laboratory in Hyderabad. “Our food safety officers collect samples routinely, and any product failing tests is acted upon immediately,” he stated.
The officer further noted that proper labelling, including expiry dates and FSSAI licence numbers, is mandatory on all packaged food items by law. “The main issues arose with perishable products like meat, fish, and chicken, which spoil quickly if not stored at the correct temperature,” he explained.
He emphasized that the department’s actions are not aimed at local businesses. “Live meat entering Kashmir, whether chicken, mutton, or fish, is safe. Most restaurant operators maintain good standards, and we do not intend to disrupt livelihoods. Our goal is to distinguish between safe and unsafe products,” he said.
“Those who comply with food safety laws will be encouraged. But violators of the Food Safety Act will face strict action and more action will follow,” he added.
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