Rajkot: The crunchy almond flakes sprinkled over ice creams, golas, and sweets that people are enjoying this summer to beat the heat may not just be stale — they could actually be rotten, fungus-ridden, and crawling with insects. In a shocking public health scare, the health department of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation has uncovered an alleged racket involving the supply of contaminated almonds used in popular summer treats across parts of Gujarat.
Raid and Seizure
During a raid at a factory in the Yogi Industrial Area near Madhapar Chowkdi on Jamnagar Road, civic officials seized and destroyed nearly 2,000 kg of rotten almonds declared unfit for human consumption. According to officials, the raid was carried out at a unit named Heer Enterprise, where large quantities of spoiled almond slices were allegedly being processed and supplied to manufacturers of ice cream, ice golas, shrikhand, and sweets.
Profiteering from Contaminated Stock
Health department officials stated that the contaminated almonds were allegedly procured cheaply from different parts of the state and sold at huge profits to food businesses. These stockists used to buy mouldy and rotten almonds for nearly Rs 100 per kilogram and supply them to shrikhand makers, sweet manufacturers, ice cream producers, and ice gola vendors for Rs 700 to Rs 800 per kilogram, said municipal health officer Jayesh Vakani. During questioning, officials found that the firm’s partner, Pradeep Dudhatra, allegedly failed to produce a valid food license or GST registration certificate.
Immediate Action Taken
Civic authorities immediately issued notices for licensing and storage violations. The entire stock of contaminated almonds was destroyed on the spot using a Solid Waste Management (SWM) vehicle to prevent it from re-entering the food supply chain. Health officials warned that consumption of such fungus-infested and insect-contaminated almonds could trigger serious gastrointestinal illnesses, including abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and intestinal infections. Officials fear the contaminated stock may already have reached consumers through widely consumed summer products.
Investigation Ongoing
Adding to the concern, investigators said the stockist has so far failed to provide satisfactory details about the original suppliers of the almonds or the businesses that purchased them, raising fears of a wider supply network operating across the state. Officials collected samples including loose almonds seized from Heer Enterprise as well as samples of Red Velvet ice cream and mava malai candy from Favorite Icecream for testing. Officials said further action will depend on laboratory test reports and the outcome of the ongoing investigation into the supply chain of the contaminated almonds.
