|
|
|
You can get e-magazine links on WhatsApp. Click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maharashtra FDA intensifies food safety audits
|
|
Wednesday, 04 June, 2025, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
|
|
Abhitash Singh, Mumbai
|
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a comprehensive food safety and sanitation audit across Mumbai, signaling stricter enforcement for Food Business Operators (FBOs). The initiative, which began with high-profile crackdowns, is expected to escalate with increased inspections, potential license suspensions, and legal actions in the coming weeks. This move underscores the need for FBOs to prioritize compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to avoid operational disruptions and penalties.
Two recent inspections exposed significant lapses in food safety practices. On 22 May 2025, the FDA’s Zone-8 team raided M/s. Khushi Trading in Ghatkopar (West), uncovering an unlicensed operation, unhygienic premises, and the redistribution of expired and near-expiry products sourced from retail outlets. A stop notice was issued, but a follow-up raid on 29 May confirmed non-compliance, leading to an FIR under Section 223 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 55 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Separately, an inspection of a leading online grocery platform’s warehouse in Dharavi revealed substandard hygiene, including damp walls and inadequate pest control. The facility’s food license was suspended, impacting delivery operations in central Mumbai.
“High-volume FBOs must uphold stringent storage and hygiene standards,” said an FDA official, emphasizing that scale does not exempt compliance.
Mangesh Mane, joint commissioner (Food), FDA, stated, “This audit targets all FBOs, from startups to small-scale vendors, to ensure adherence to licensing and hygiene regulations. Non-compliance will face strict legal consequences.”
The FDA plans to inspect storage facilities, dark stores, and retail units across all Mumbai zones, focusing on previously non-compliant operators.
Maharashtra’s crackdown aligns with heightened food safety oversight across India. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed states to intensify inspections, particularly for high-risk FBOs. In Tamil Nadu, the FSSAI emphasized increased scrutiny of high-risk establishments in January 2025, urging compliance with Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) norms for health supplements and nutraceuticals. Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra topped the FSSAI’s Food Safety Index for 2019-20, reflecting robust regulatory frameworks, yet ongoing audits reveal persistent challenges. In Goa, mandatory hygiene audits for food and sweet outlets were enforced in 2021, a model Maharashtra is now scaling up. At the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, the FSSAI deployed mobile testing labs to ensure food safety, highlighting the use of rapid testing to enforce compliance during large-scale events.
The Maharashtra FDA’s audit drive, coupled with similar actions in states like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh, reflects a broader push for accountability in India’s food sector. As consumer awareness grows and regulatory scrutiny intensifies, FBOs must prioritize compliance to sustain operations and competitiveness. With the FSSAI extending mandatory food safety audits to September 30, 2025, businesses have a critical window to align with national standards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|