As the festive season fills markets with colourful sweets and tempting snacks, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a massive statewide food safety drive to ensure that citizens bite only into purity and not adulteration.
Between August 11 and October 12, the FDA conducted 4676 inspections across the state, targeting food products that see a spike in demand during festivals — milk, edible oils, ghee, khoya-mawa, sweets, dry fruits, chocolates, bhagar, and other festive essentials.
The results are eye-opening, as 918 samples met the standard, while 51 were substandard, 16 unsafe, and eight misbranded. In all, the FDA seized over 8,03,942 kilograms of food stock, initiating further legal action against violators.
The drive, which will continue till October 25, is part of the FDA’s special campaign ‘San Maharashtra cha, Sankalp Anna Surakshitate cha’ — focused on protecting consumers during the festive seasons.
“Our teams are working round-the-clock to ensure that citizens get pure and safe food during festivals. Strict action will be taken against establishments found violating the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006,” said Joint Commissioner (Food), FDA Greater Mumbai, Mangesh Mane.
Under this campaign, the FDA has not only intensified raids but also organised awareness workshops and guidance meetings for sweets, mawa, and farsan manufacturers. The sessions highlight hygiene standards, responsible use of ingredients, and compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines.
Joint crackdown and awareness initiatives
Recently, the FDA’s Mumbai team, in coordination with the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, has unearthed shocking cases. In Antop Hill, officials destroyed 218 kg of unlabelled cheese analogue being sold as paneer, worth over Rs 54,000. In Dahisar East, officials seized and destroyed 478 litres of adulterated milk from multiple brands.
These actions come under the broader FSSAI “Eat Right India” initiative, which aims to improve consumer awareness and food business compliance nationwide. FSSAI has directed state authorities to conduct intensive surveillance on milk-based and sweet products during Diwali, urging consumers to “Eat Safe, Eat Healthy.”
“Food safety is a shared responsibility — between regulators, food businesses, and consumers. Our festive drives are not just about catching violators but creating awareness about safe food practices,” said an FSSAI spokesperson.
FDA’s guidelines for food operators
The FDA has issued a set of strict hygiene and safety guidelines for food businesses. These are:
· Use clean utensils and potable water for preparation
· Avoid reusing edible oil for frying — hand it over to authorised RUCO aggregators
· Conduct medical checks for food handlers
· Use only food-grade colours (not exceeding 100 ppm)
· Keep sweets and dairy products covered and store them at proper temperatures
· Display the FSSAI licence number on every sales bill
The FDA has further urged citizens to remain alert while buying festive food items. Shoppers should check manufacturing dates, FSSAI licence numbers, batch codes, and expiry dates before purchasing.
If citizens notice poor-quality or suspicious food items, they can immediately report it on the FDA’s toll-free helpline: 1800-222-365.
