LUCKNOW, Oct. 30 -- Food safety officials on Thursday shut down two sweet-manufacturing units in Lucknow after finding unhygienic production conditions, missing licences and substances suspected to be used as additives in food products ahead of Diwali. The teams seized hundreds of kilograms of sweets and other materials from the two premises, one in Madiaon and the other on Kanchana Bihari Marg in Kalyanpur. Assistant commissioner, FSDA, Lucknow, VP Singh said the team suspected the use of saponified oil, rosin (hardening powder) and talcum powder as additives in food products. "Such substances could pose serious health risks. The premises were closed, and proceedings to lodge a complaint against the food business operator at the concerned police station were initiated," he said. At a manufacturing unit in Madiaon, a joint team of food safety officials found filth, cobwebs and rats moving around the premises. Workers involved in sweet production were also found maintaining poor personal hygiene. The unit was operating without the mandatory food licence. The team seized 560 boxes of petha weighing 280 kg and valued at Rs 84,000, along with 648 kg of maida worth Rs 25,920. The second inspection, at a sweet-manufacturing unit in Kalyanpur, revealed further violations. Samples of the products and suspected additives were collected for examination. The seized material included 348 kg of khilona mithai worth Rs 20,820, 24 kg of talcum powder valued at Rs 480, 28 kg of batasha worth Rs 2,240 and 1,998 kg of gatta mithai valued at Rs 1,19,880.htc...