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Maharashtra FDA bans sale, reuse of used cooking oil
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Friday, 21 August, 2026, 14 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a statewide compliance and enforcement order covering the entire edible oil supply chain, prohibiting the sale or reintroduction of used cooking oil into the food chain and directing strict action against refilling used containers and recycling repeatedly heated frying oil.
The order, issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 by Tukaram Mundhe, Food Safety Commissioner and Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra, has come into immediate effect and applies from oil producers and refiners to retailers and online sellers.
The order seeks to establish a uniform compliance framework for the edible oil sector across Maharashtra and address practices such as relabelling that conceals the original source or date of oil, repackaging expired oil, use of non-food-grade packaging, refilling previously used containers and reintroducing repeatedly heated frying oil into the food supply.
The directions apply to oil expeller units, solvent extraction units and oil refiners; manufacturers of vegetable fats, interesterified vegetable fats, shortenings, margarines and table spreads; multi-source edible vegetable oil blenders; repackers and relabellers; importers; wholesalers, distributors, super-stockists and transporters; and grocery stores, supermarkets, department stores, e-commerce platforms and online sellers.
The order covers edible oils and fats including groundnut, mustard, soybean, sunflower, safflower, rice bran, palm and palmolein, coconut, sesame, maize, multi-source edible vegetable oil and vegetable fats, irrespective of the size or turnover of the establishment.
Maharashtra currently has 497 edible oil producers, comprising 285 state licence holders and 212 central licence holders. During 2025-26, the FDA collected 1,247 edible oil samples for testing. Of these, 1,142 were found compliant, while 77 samples were classified as substandard, 13 as unsafe and 15 as counterfeit.
A key focus of the order is the prohibition on refilling used or rusty containers. The FDA has noted that containers previously used for mineral oil, grease, paint or chemicals can pose a contamination risk when subsequently used for edible oil. Repeated use of metal cans can also lead to metal contamination, while rusty, cracked or inadequately cleaned containers may render food unfit for human consumption. The order also specifically addresses spot-welded and reused cans, with food businesses required to ensure that packaging used for edible oils is suitable for food contact and does not create contamination risks.
The FDA has also prohibited the reintroduction of repeatedly heated frying oil into the food chain. Repeated heating can increase the formation of total polar compounds, trans fats, acids, aldehydes and other oxidation products. The order states that oil containing more than 25 per cent total polar compounds should not be used, while fresh oil should not contain more than 15 per cent of such compounds. Used cooking oil is required to be handed over to authorised RUCO collectors for appropriate utilisation rather than being returned to the food chain.
The regulatory action also addresses practices involving relabelling and repackaging. Businesses are required to ensure that the identity, source, batch information and date-related details of edible oil are not concealed or altered and that expired oil is not repackaged or offered for sale. The use of non-food-grade packaging is also prohibited.
Violations will attract action under Chapter 9 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. In cases involving unsafe food, Section 59 provides for imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh. Penalties of up to Rs 5 lakh may apply to substandard food and up to Rs 3 lakh for counterfeit food. Possession of adulterated substances can attract a penalty of up to Rs 10 lakh, while conducting business without a valid licence and misleading advertisements can also attract penalties of up to Rs 10 lakh.
Where a company is involved, its directors, partners and managers may be held personally liable, depending on the circumstances of the violation. The FDA may also issue correction notices and take action including suspension or cancellation of licences where required.
The order directs field officers of the administration to implement the requirements in an effective, uniform and risk-based manner. Cases involving adulteration, unsafe food, contamination and substandard edible oil are to be dealt with expeditiously. During adjudication proceedings, relevant facts and supporting material are to be placed before the adjudicating authority, with action sought in proportion to the nature and severity of the violation.
The FDA has also outlined precautions for consumers. Consumers have been advised to purchase only sealed and unopened cooking oil and check the label, batch number, packaging date and best-before date before purchase. Oil sold in old, rusty or recycled containers should be avoided, and consumers should retain proof of purchase. For multi-source edible vegetable oil, consumers should check the AGMARK details and the percentage of constituent oils declared on the packaging rather than relying on claims such as "super-refined" or "double-refined". Consumers have also been advised against repeatedly reheating and reusing frying oil at home.
Mundhe said the regulatory intervention is intended to protect consumers from practices that can create both food safety and public health risks. "Edible oil is not a luxury, but a daily necessity for every household; and the worst effects of malpractices in this sector are falling on the average consumer who buys oil in small quantities."
He further said that the risks associated with such practices can extend beyond immediate food quality concerns. "These consequences are not seen in a day, they accumulate over years, and that is why they are more serious. These malpractices that play with the health of citizens will not be tolerated in Maharashtra. Honest business operators will only get protection with this order," according to Tukaram Mundhe, Commissioner of Food Safety and Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, State of Maharashtra.
The FDA has highlighted concerns including the potential health consequences of adulteration, unsafe packaging and repeated heating of oil. It has cited previous incidents involving argemone contamination and epidemic dropsy, as well as risks associated with contamination from unsuitable metal containers and compounds generated through repeated heating of frying oil.
For complaints relating to food safety violations, consumers can register complaints through the Maharashtra FDA complaint portal in Marathi, Hindi or English. Complaints can also be made through the FSSAI toll-free number 1800 112 100, the FDA toll-free number 1800 222 365, or the Food Safety Connect mobile application.
The statewide order places responsibility across the complete edible oil supply chain rather than treating food safety compliance as a retail-level obligation. By covering manufacturers, importers, processors, repackers, distributors, transporters, physical retailers and online sellers, the FDA has sought to prevent unsafe, expired, adulterated or repeatedly used oil from entering or re-entering the consumer market at any stage.
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