Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has been stepping up action against food businesses across the state, with several restaurants facing inspections and regulatory action in recent weeks. The crackdown has put food safety, hygiene and compliance under a sharper spotlight, particularly in Mumbai.
Now, in an exclusive conversation with NDTV's Shiv Aroor, Mundhe has revealed the scale of the ongoing drive. In around 100 days, the Maharashtra FDA inspected nearly 12,000 establishments across the food sector. More than 5,200 were issued improvement notices, while 603 licenses were suspended for non-compliance.
But Mundhe says the issue goes beyond checking whether food has been adulterated or whether a restaurant kitchen is clean. He believes the entire conversation needs to be looked at through the lens of public health.
Nearly 12,000 Food Establishments Inspected
Tukaram Mundhe said the FDA has inspected around 12,000 food-sector establishments over the last three months, or roughly 100 days. The drive covered different parts of the industry, including milk and milk products, hotels and restaurants.
Of these establishments, more than 5,200 received improvement notices. Mundhe explained that this means the FDA found non-compliances or deficiencies that needed to be corrected.
Another 603 licenses were suspended.
According to Mundhe, these suspensions were linked to non-compliance with requirements under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. He described these requirements as “non-negotiable”.
What These Numbers Actually Show
The figures clearly indicate that there's an issue, but as the FDA chief says, they also need to be viewed in context. If the establishments that received improvement notices and those whose licenses were suspended are considered together, the number comes to around 5,800. That is close to half of the establishments inspected.
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Mundhe pointed out that more than half of the businesses inspected were found to be complying. “So yes, there is an issue,” he said, while stressing that the extent of the problem varies from one place to another. He added that the issue should not be viewed only as food safety. “I think we have to look at it not as a food safety issue but a public health issue,” he said.
He also spoke about how India's approach to food regulation has evolved. Earlier, the focus was largely on preventing food adulteration. With the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the approach shifted towards setting standards for safe and standardized food. “The culture of food business operators needed to change,” Mundhe said.
Consumers, he believes, need to change their approach too.
He Warns About Everyday Food Habits
The FDA commissioner also pointed out that what people consume is an important part of the larger public health picture.
He specifically urged people to be more careful about foods high in fat, salt and sugar, particularly when consumed regularly over a long period. He linked changing food habits with concerns such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer and high blood pressure.
Mundhe also had a specific message for consumers buying packaged food. People often look at the brand, best-before or expiry date and price, but do not pay enough attention to the ingredients. “Not looking at the ingredients… is causing a lot of issues,” he said.
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For him, the next step is to keep pushing businesses toward compliance while making food safety part of a much larger public health conversation.