Test samples confirm E coli

  • 03/07/2013

  • Herald (Panjim)

Food samples collected by Food and Drugs Administration inspectors from Mallikharjun High School in Canacona and the premises of Omkar Self Help Group which prepared the meals were found to contain E coli bacteria, the FDA said. Both samples of patal bhaji and bread collected from the school and Omkar SHG premises which were subjected to microbiological examination were found to be positive for E coli contamination but negative for salmonella,” FDA Director Salim Veljee said. The reports will now be sent to the Canacona police station, which has already filed an FIR against Omkar SHG. The FDA which had collected samples of raw food such as garam masala and green peas used for preparing the patal bhaji were also tested and found to be of standard quality. On Tuesday, FDA inspectors had revoked the licence of City Bakery run by one Ashok Phalgaonkar ~ which provided bread to the school ~ which was found to be in an ‘absolutely unhygienic’ condition. FDA's food safety officers Shivdas Naik and Priya Sirsat visited the bakery and found that no cleanliness was being maintained. “The bakery was absolutely unhygienic, in a very bad state and no cleanliness was being maintained… it was shut down immediately until further orders,” Veljee said in a statement. More than 24 students had to be hospitalized after alleged food poisoning following consumption of mid-day meal supplied under the government scheme. The licence of the self help group has already been suspended and inquiries into the incident are on.