Surat Food Safety Drive Tests 35 Mava and Ghari Samples

The Surat Municipal Corporation has launched a food safety drive ahead of Chandi Padva, collecting 35 samples of mava and ghari from shops across the city for laboratory testing as demand for the traditional festival sweet rises.

SMC food safety teams began collecting mava samples on Thursday as part of the civic body’s annual inspection campaign. Officials collected 15 samples from 15 shops and sent them to the SMC’s public health laboratory for testing.

The inspection shifted to ready-made ghari sold by sweet shops on Friday. Teams collected 20 samples from 10 outlets, taking two varieties of ghari from each shop to widen the testing coverage. The drive included prominent and popular sweet outlets, including Sumul Dairy, officials said.

A food safety officer said the test results would be declared within two days. The laboratory examination will assess whether the products are fresh and contain the required milk solids prescribed under food safety standards.

The checks come ahead of Chandi Padva, when ghari consumption increases sharply in Surat. The sweet is closely associated with the city’s festival celebrations and is sold through sweet shops and snack outlets. Community groups also prepare it in large quantities for distribution among members, while many residents make ghari at home after purchasing mava from local sellers.