FDA's crackdown ahead of Diwali: Adulterated products worth Rs 12.74 crores seized, 68 licenses cancelled

Mumbai: Ahead of the month-long festive season, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra has scaled up inspection for scanning substandard and adulterated food products while launching a drive to penalise the food suppliers and outlets, found in violation of the food safety norms.

The department during its inspection drives, in the past few days, confiscated goods worth about Rs 12.74 crore and cancelled the licenses/registrations of 68 establishments and some others were given 'closure orders' over violation of safety norms.

In terms of crackdown on banned gutkha, pan masala, and flavoured tobacco, about two dozen FIRs were registered while 20 individuals were arrested.

The special inspection and enforcement drive across the state were undertaken to ensure the availability of safe food and compliance with food safety regulations, in light of several festivities, starting from Navratri to Diwali.

The campaign was carried out in seven divisions of the state namely Mumbai, Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur, and Amravati, under the guidance of FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.

The FDA investigation in Thane and Pune districts revealed that expired and spoiled food—supposedly sent for destruction was being reintroduced into the market.

A total of 8,392 kg of the stock (valued at Rs 48.09 lakh) was seized by the department sleuths.

"The investigation uncovered a supply chain involving company warehouses, disposal contractors, unauthorised disposal centres, intermediaries, and retailers. The companies failed to provide complete and verifiable records of the destruction process. Five licenses have been suspended, and criminal complaints have been filed," the FDA said in a statement.

"In the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, 197,480 kg of stock—including chili powder, raisins, jaggery, and pasteurised butter—valued at Rs 4.19 crore, was seized from two cold storage facilities in a single day. The licenses of both facilities have been suspended," it said.

In Palghar-Manor, goods worth Rs 1.51 crore were seized from a truck, leading to the arrest of eight individuals while in Jalna, goods worth Rs 83.35 lakh were seized.

In Mumbai, four separate cases involving goods worth Rs 24.61 lakh were registered.

Inspections also revealed serious lapses, including unhygienic kitchens, issues with drains, infestations of cockroaches and rats, the storage of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food together, the use of unauthorised food colouring, and the absence of medical certificates for staff.

"Following these findings, 68 licenses have been suspended while seven establishments have been ordered to shut down, and four outlets were imposed a penalty of Rs 1.30 lakh," the statement said.

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