Maker of ‘COVID-19-curing’ mysurpa booked

120 kg of the product, worth around ₹1 lakh, seized from shop after FSSAI raid

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Wednesday suspended the licence of a sweet shop in Thottipalayam, near Coimbatore, after its owner sold a particular type of mysurpa, peddling it as a cure for COVID-19.

K. Tamilselvan, designated officer of the FSSAI in Coimbatore; P. Krishna, Joint Director of health services (Coimbatore district); and C. Dhanam, Coimbatore district Siddha medical officer, inspected the sweet shop on Wednesday, based on directions from the District Collector.

Dr. Tamilselvan said that Sriram, of Sri Ram Vilas Nellai Lala Sweets, was booked under sections 53 and 61 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, for selling the mysurpa as a cure for COVID-19, without approvals from any department and for spreading false information through advertisements that consumption of the mysurpa would cure one from the infection, in a single day.

The team of officials seized 120 kg of the mysurpa, claimed to be worth around ₹1 lakh, from the sweet shop. Dr. Tamilselvan said that Sriram was selling the sweet at ₹50 for 50 g. He added that the district Siddha medical officer took samples of the mysurpa for examination as it was sold as a product with herbal ingredients.

‘Herbal ingredients’

The District Collector ordered that the sweet stall be raided, after fliers were issued by the shop claiming that the mysurpa was a cure for COVID-19.

The fliers also had detailed prescriptions for the mysurpa’s intake so that one may recover from COVID-19. It also promised an immunity boost.

Source: Read Full Article