The order mandates sealed packaging and stricter labelling, prohibits specified adulterants and ethylene oxide sterilisation, and extends compliance requirements across the spice supply chain
Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has prohibited the sale of loose, unpackaged spice powders and blended spices across the state, requiring food businesses to ensure sealed packaging, accurate labelling and compliance with prescribed hygiene and quality standards. The directive covers the entire supply chain, from manufacturers and processors to wholesalers, retailers, online sellers and food service establishments.
In an order dated on 15 October, Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe directed businesses involved in the manufacture, processing, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of spices to comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and applicable regulations.
The restrictions cover individual spices such as turmeric, chilli, coriander, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and saffron, as well as asafoetida, garam masala and other blended spices.
Sealed Packaging And Labelling Requirements
Under the new directions, spice powders and blended spices must be packed and sealed at the production facility before distribution or sale. The requirement is intended to reduce the risk of contamination and adulteration while improving traceability across the supply chain.
Packages must carry mandatory declarations, including the product name, ingredients, manufacturer’s details, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence number, batch number, manufacturing or packing date, and applicable use-by or best-before date.
The order also prohibits misleading or unsubstantiated claims regarding a product’s purity, natural composition, organic status or health benefits. Businesses must hold the appropriate FSSAI licence or registration for their operations; a trade licence alone is not sufficient to manufacture or grind spices.
Food establishments must also maintain staff hygiene, ensure the medical fitness and training of food handlers, and implement a Food Safety Management System.
Prohibited Colours And Contaminants
The FDA has prohibited the use of specified unauthorised colouring agents, including Metanil Yellow, Rhodamine B, Sudan dyes and Lead Chromate, in spices. Adulteration with brick powder, chalk, sawdust, foreign starch and other unauthorised materials used to increase product weight or volume is also prohibited.
The directions further bar the sale of substandard spices and products from which extracts have been removed. The use of ethylene oxide for spice sterilisation has also been prohibited.
Spices will be subject to checks for pesticide residues, aflatoxins, heavy metals and other contaminants in accordance with applicable food safety standards. Production and storage facilities must be kept clean, dry and protected from pests and contamination.
The order prohibits drying spices on public roads, tarred surfaces and areas near drains, garbage bins or cattle sheds. It also bars the storage of pesticides, industrial colours and other hazardous substances alongside spices.
Inspections To Trace Adulteration To Its Source
The FDA’s enforcement measures will extend beyond retailers to identify the source of adulterated products. Investigations may cover manufacturers, processing units, repackers and suppliers, with officials examining invoices, production records, batch numbers and raw material usage to establish the origin of violations.
Depending on the nature of the offence, businesses may face product seizures, recalls, suspension or cancellation of licences and prosecution.
Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, prescribes penalties for selling unsafe food. Where unsafe food causes death, the punishment includes imprisonment of at least seven years, which may extend to life imprisonment, and a fine of at least Rs 10 lakh. Where the offence causes grievous injury, imprisonment may extend to six years, with a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh.
Under Section 63, operating a food business without the required licence can attract imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh. Separate provisions address substandard food, misbranding and misleading advertisements.
Consumers Can Report Suspected Adulteration
The FDA has instructed food safety officers across Maharashtra to intensify inspections, collect samples and document enforcement measures through designated regulatory systems.
Consumers can report suspected adulteration, the use of prohibited colours, unhygienic production practices and misleading labelling through the state FDA’s complaint portal at complaints.mahafda.in or its toll-free helpline, 1800 222 365. Complaints can also be submitted through the Food Safety Connect mobile application.
The regulator has advised consumers to provide product details, manufacturer information, batch numbers, purchase bills and photographs, wherever available, to support investigations.
