Bhubaneswar, Aug 27: The Food Safety Department has intensified inspections and surprise raids at sweet shops, stalls and manufacturing units across Bhubaneswar to check the quality and safety of sweets.

Officials are conducting inspections to identify adulterated, stale and substandard sweets being sold to consumers during the festive season.

Raids are underway at several establishments in areas including Jagamara.

During the inspections, food safety officials are collecting samples of different sweets and sending them to laboratories for quality testing.

Authorities have also destroyed quantities of stale and adulterated sweets found during the raids. Fines are being imposed on establishments found violating food safety norms.

The enforcement drive has been intensified as sweet sales typically surge ahead of Rakhi Purnima.

Officials said the inspections are aimed at protecting consumers from unsafe and poor-quality food products during the festival.