2,450 kg chicken destroyed: FDA finds food safety violations, including 700 kg meat brought from Delhi in thermocol boxes without temperature control for 36 hours

Goa's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has destroyed 2,450 kg of chicken during two inspections in South Goa after finding violations of food safety norms. One consignment of 700 kg, valued at Rs 1.36 lakh, had travelled from Delhi for nearly 36 hours in thermocol boxes without the required temperature control.

The FDA also destroyed another 1,750 kg of chicken at a cold storage facility in Verna because the meat lacked proper labelling and purchase records. State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane announced the action on Wednesday, November 11, saying the inspections were aimed at preventing unsafe meat products from reaching consumers.

700 kg chicken intercepted at Margao railway station

The FDA intercepted the 700 kg consignment at Margao Railway Station in South Goa on Tuesday.


According to Rane, the chicken had been transported from Delhi in thermocol boxes without the required temperature control. The consignment had remained in transit for nearly 36 hours before officials intercepted it.

The meat was valued at Rs 1,36,500.

The food business operator gave an undertaking to destroy the consignment in the interest of public health, Rane said.

Another 1,750 kg destroyed at Verna cold storage

In a separate inspection, FDA officials checked a cold storage unit in Verna and destroyed another 1,750 kg of chicken.

The department took action because the stored meat did not have proper labels or purchase records.

These were two separate inspections in South Goa, with officials detecting violations related to both transportation and storage of chicken.

Goa intensifies food safety inspections

Rane said the FDA had intensified inspections in Margao and Verna as part of efforts to stop unsafe meat products from entering the consumer market.

"Protecting the health and safety of every Goan remains our priority," he said in his post on X.

The minister also said the government would take firm action against unsafe food handling practices that put public health at risk.

The two inspections resulted in the destruction of 2,450 kg of chicken. The action covered both the consignment intercepted during transportation and the stock found at the Verna cold storage facility.

(With PTI inputs)