Food safety officials have seized eight tonnes of white sugar from multiple jaggery manufacturing units in South India following complaints of adulteration during the peak Pongal festival season.

The region, known for extensive sugarcane cultivation, hosts several jaggery production units that scale up operations during festive demand. Acting on specific complaints alleging the use of sugar to adulterate jaggery, the Food Safety Department carried out a series of inspections across 30 jaggery units over two days.

During the inspections, officials detected eight tonnes of white sugar allegedly stored for the purpose of adulteration in 10 units. In addition, four tonnes of adulterated jaggery balls were seized from the premises.

Authorities imposed fines amounting to ₹1.80 lakh on the units found violating provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act. A separate penalty of ₹5,000 was levied on one unit for using plastic bags and cloth materials as fuel, which is prohibited.

Food safety officials also collected jaggery samples from all 30 inspected units for laboratory testing. Officials stated that further legal action would be initiated if adulteration is confirmed through analysis.

The department reiterated its commitment to strict enforcement, especially during festival seasons, to ensure the safety and quality of food products reaching consumers.