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AICPDF plea for uniform SOPs for damaged food products
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Thursday, 03 September, 2026, 12 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau ,New Delhi
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The All India Consumer Products’ Distributors Federation (AICPDF) has once again urged the Union Health Ministry to issue clear, uniform, and mandatory Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the collection, withdrawal, handling, and destruction of expired and damaged food products.
In an official statement, the AICPDF highlighted the recent joint operation by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Navi Mumbai Police Crime Branch, which uncovered an illegal operation involving the alteration of manufacturing and expiry dates on packaged food items intended for repackaging and export. The federation described the incident as a matter of grave concern for public safety.
The seized stock reportedly included products carrying the names of several of India’s most recognised food and beverage brands.
"In the absence of a stringent and uniformly implemented SOP, there is a possibility that products that should have been permanently removed and destroyed can re-enter the supply chain through unscrupulous operators," the AICPDF stated.
The federation demanded the immediate establishment of a uniform national protocol governing damaged and expired items, complete with mandatory documentation and end-to-end digital traceability from initial collection to final destruction.
Furthermore, the AICPDF urged enforcement authorities to create secure mechanisms preventing expired products from being repackaged, relabelled, or reintroduced into the market, alongside strict criminal and financial penalties for date tampering. The body also demanded full legal accountability across every stage of the supply chain.
"AICPDF appeals to the Government to treat the matter with the highest urgency and establish a transparent, technology-enabled, and enforceable system for the safe withdrawal and destruction of all damaged and expired food products across India," said Dhairyashil H. Patil, national president of AICPDF.
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