Inspections before, during and after festivities will cover food businesses, mahaprasad, bhandaras, schools, street vendors and restaurants
Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is preparing a state-wide food safety drive ahead of the festive season, with inspections planned before, during and after celebrations. The regulator will check whether food businesses hold the required licences and follow prescribed safety standards while preparing and supplying food.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the measures would apply across the state and focus on preventing food safety violations during the festive period.
Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the department was putting measures in place for the festive season and would issue the relevant order shortly. He said the focus was on preventing any untoward incident and ensuring that food was prepared and supplied only by licensed operators, rather than targeting any particular festival, according to media report.
Mundhe urged consumers to exercise moderation while consuming high-fat, salty and sugary (HFSS) foods during the festive season. He advised people to restrict their intake and avoid overeating.
“Even during the festive season, avoid HFSS — high-fat, salty and sugary foods. Take them only in limited quantities. Don’t overeat. It is not really good for you. You should enjoy your health,” said Mundhe. Restrictions on HFSS products around educational institutions have been in place since 2020, with implementation across India beginning in 2021, according to Mundhe.
Under the rules, such products cannot be sold, advertised, produced, transported or stored within the prescribed area around educational institutions.
Mundhe said several schools had altered their menus following the restrictions. The FDA has also received hundreds of letters and emails supporting the measures, he added.
Schools Face Regular Checks
The FDA is also inspecting food supplied to schools and anganwadis, including meals prepared at central kitchens. Officials have inspected central kitchens, collected food samples and issued an order for inspections to continue across Maharashtra. Schools and anganwadis will be inspected at least twice a year, while a minimum number of samples will be collected each month.
The regulator is also checking suppliers involved in the mid-day meal programme. Mundhe said the licence of one supplier had been suspended following violations.
Food distributed as mahaprasad or served during bhandaras will also have to comply with food safety requirements, Mundhe said. He said food business operators involved in preparing or supplying such food must hold the necessary registration or licence and comply with applicable safety standards.
The commissioner said the FDA would apply the same food safety standards to street food vendors, restaurants and hotels, including five-star properties. Inspections will focus on regulatory compliance, food safety practices and the quality of raw materials rather than the category of the establishment. The same requirements will apply to food operations in government and private establishments.
FDA Checks Medicine Quality
Mundhe also highlighted the regulator’s focus on medicine quality. He said the quantity stated on a medicine strip must correspond with its actual contents.
Medicines that fail to meet prescribed quality requirements could be classified as substandard, misbranded or spurious, depending on the nature of the violation. The FDA can take regulatory action against products found to breach the applicable standards.
