The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Mumbai has launched a special campaign to check food adulteration during the ongoing Ganesh festival 2025 and the upcoming festive season of Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali.
The special drive, running from August 11 to October 25, includes surprise inspections of sweet shops, farsan outlets, dairy product sellers, and dry fruit vendors. Joint Commissioner (Food) Mangesh Mane has warned that strict action will be taken against establishments flouting the Food Safety and Standards Act.
So far, FDA teams have carried out 42 inspections and collected 55 food samples for analysis. During recent raids, officials destroyed 218 kg of unlabelled cheese analogue worth Rs 54,625 in Antop Hill to prevent its sale as paneer. In another joint operation with the Crime Branch, 478 litres of tampered milk worth Rs 29,277 were seized and destroyed in Dahisar.
Apart from raids, the FDA is conducting guidance workshops for sweet and mawa manufacturers to ensure hygiene, proper use of raw materials, and compliance with safety standards. Business operators have been instructed to avoid reusing cooking oil, store perishable items at the correct temperature, conduct medical checks for workers, and ensure proper labelling with FSSAI licence numbers.
The FDA has also urged consumers to check labels for batch numbers, expiry dates, and licence details before purchasing sweets or dairy products. Customers have been advised to consume sweets quickly and avoid buying unlabelled or suspicious food items.
Citizens can report complaints regarding food quality to the FDA’s toll-free helpline 1800-222-365.
“Active public participation is essential to ensure safe food during the festival season,” said Mane.
