43 Tonnes Of Food And 719 Litres Of Milk, Ghee Seized: Maharashtra FDA's Rs 1.56 Crore Food Safety Operation

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confiscated nearly 43.56 tonnes of food products along with 719.2 litres of milk and ghee worth an estimated Rs 1.56 crore during a major enforcement drive conducted across the state.

The FDA officials stated that the seized consignments were suspected to be substandard, adulterated or carrying incorrect labelling, raising serious concerns over public health. According to reports, the action was carried out as part of a coordinated statewide operation.

In addition to the seizures, the department destroyed 564 litres of milk in Mumbai and suspended the licenses and registrations of multiple food businesses that were found to be in violation of food safety regulations.

The official sources claimed that the drive revealed massive irregularities across different regions of Maharashtra. In the Konkan division, officials seized 9.99 tonnes of food products valued at Rs 53.55 lakh, while in the Pune division the haul included 2.11 tonnes of items worth Rs 7.93 lakh.

As per official data, Nashik saw the confiscation of 4069 kg of food products and 62.2 litres of ghee collectively worth Rs 8.25 lakh. The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division accounted for the largest quantity, with 26.84 tonnes of food items valued at Rs 64 lakh being seized. In the Nagpur division, 883.3 kg of oil worth Rs 1.77 lakh was taken into custody.

The FDA also seized prohibited food items during the operation, including products worth Rs 19.56 lakh in Pune, Rs 4.22 lakh in Mumbai and Rs 19,090 in Nashik.

Action Against Unhygienic Establishments

Apart from product seizures, the department initiated strict regulatory action against food outlets failing to meet hygiene and safety standards. In Mumbai, licenses or registrations of 7 establishments were suspended following inspections.

The officials stressed that the violations included unhygienic kitchens and drainage systems, improper separation and storage of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, use of unauthorised food colours and absence of mandatory medical certificates for food handlers. Such lapses were deemed serious breaches of prescribed food safety norms.

The FDA stated that it will continue the enforcement drives in the coming days to ensure food safety across the state and will act firmly against those who violate prescribed standards. The latest statewide action, which led to seizure of food, milk and ghee worth Rs 1.56 crore, destruction of 564 litres of milk and suspension of licenses, is part of that ongoing effort to protect consumers from unsafe and adulterated food.