The FDA of Maharashtra has made a significant move to crack down on food businesses before the holiday season begins. The department has blacklisted the licenses and registrations of 19 food business license holders due to severe violations related to food safety and hygiene standards. This crackdown, headed by IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe, not only led the department to seize about 3.53 lakh kg of food articles valued at ₹9.01 crore but also led to the confiscation of a huge quantity of Patanjali cow ghee.
Patanjali Cow Ghee Worth ₹20.20 Lakh Seized in Maharashtra
According to an official FDA statement, officials seized 2,279.7 litres of Patanjali cow ghee worth ₹20.20 lakh from M/s Divya Distributor, the company’s super distributor in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The department flagged incorrect labelling and suspected adulteration in the seized stock.
The FDA confiscated a total of 4,032 units of the ghee. These included 2,998 units containing 1,349.1 litres, valued at ₹12.29 lakh, and another 1,034 units containing 930.6 litres, worth ₹7.91 lakh. An initial investigation found that the stock allegedly violated provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
FDA Suspends Licences of 19 Food Businesses
The crackdown covered 114 establishments across seven divisions of Maharashtra. The FDA suspended the licences and registrations of 19 food businesses in Mumbai, Amravati and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. These included units involved in manufacturing namkeen, sweets and spices.
Officials found several food safety violations. These included unhygienic working conditions, improper food storage, poor pest control and a lack of cleaning records. Some businesses also failed to maintain mandatory documents and follow prescribed safety standards.
Over 3 Lakh Kg of Food Items Seized Across Maharashtra
The FDA also took action against several other businesses. In Bhiwandi, Thane district, officials seized 1,44,218 kg of edible oil from Avenue Supermarts Ltd. In Satara, 20,560 kg of rice, pulses, jaggery and other food products were seized from Amin Traders. Food oil was also confiscated from Swati Oil Mills in Satara and SG Traders in Solapur. Between October 28 and 31, officials seized banned food products worth ₹79.40 lakh from 17 establishments. The operation also led to 13 FIRs, 16 arrests, the sealing of seven establishments and the seizure of six vehicles.
FDA Inspects 34 Hotels and Restaurants
The department also inspected 34 hotels, restaurants and roadside eateries across Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur divisions. Following the inspections, 29 improvement notices were issued over food safety and hygiene shortcomings.
FSSAI Issues Notices Over Tata 1mg Marine Collagen Powder
In addition to that, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued show-cause notices to Tata 1mg Healthcare Solutions, ACFO Pharmaceuticals, Amazon Seller Services and Flipkart India on account of violations in the labelling and marketing of Tata 1mg Marine Collagen Powder. They have been given a period of 30 days to explain their stance on the matter. It should be noted that this is an indication of the regulatory body’s attempt to monitor misleading information.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
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