Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 16: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), led by Tukaram Mandhe, has taken action against several establishments across the state over alleged violations involving adulterated, substandard, improperly labelled and prohibited food products, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.
The crackdown resulted in the seizure of 878 litres of liquid colostrum, 5,132.9 kg of dairy products and sweets, and 2,127 kg of other food products. The seized dairy and sweet products, including butter, khoya or mawa, paneer, ghee and shrikhand, were valued at Rs 6.55 lakh, while the other food products were worth around Rs 3.68 lakh.
The other seized products included gulab jamun special mix, jaggery, barfi, modak pedha, farsan, boondi, mysore pak, manvi halwa, shev and motichoor laddoo.
The FDA also registered two FIRs and arrested three people in separate cases in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Amravati divisions.
In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, FDA officials conducted an inspection drive on September 15 against the illegal storage, sale and transportation of prohibited products such as gutkha, pan masala and scented tobacco. Prohibited food stock worth Rs 2.74 lakh was seized from an establishment, along with a vehicle valued at Rs 3 lakh allegedly used to transport the stock. An FIR was registered and two people were arrested.
In Amravati, officials seized prohibited stock worth Rs 23,200 from an establishment. An FIR was registered and one person was arrested.
In Pune's Kelawade, officials inspected Deccan Cold Storages India Pvt Ltd and found 4,891.9 kg of pasteurised cooking butter valued at Rs 4.15 lakh. The FDA said the product allegedly failed to comply with packaging and labelling requirements and was suspected to be adulterated.
At Charoti Toll Plaza on NH-48 in Palghar, officials intercepted a vehicle transporting 878 litres of colostrum valued at Rs 1.05 lakh. According to the FDA, the product was being transported without labels, adequate temperature control and under unhygienic conditions.
In Pune's Ambegaon taluka, officials found 49 kg of khoya, 104 kg of paneer and 11 kg of ghee at Mahaveer Dairy. The products, collectively valued at Rs 52,840, were suspected to be substandard.
At Kolhapur Milk and Bakers in Kolhapur, 59 kg of paneer and 35 kg of shrikhand worth Rs 23,950 were found and suspected to be substandard. In Pune's Hadapsar, FDA officials also seized 74 kg of khoya worth Rs 23,400 from Amar Sweet after finding it stored without labels and under unhygienic conditions.
The department also reported violations involving other food products. A vehicle belonging to Amawa Milk and Milk Products in Kolhapur was found transporting 758 kg of gulab jamun special mix worth Rs 1.66 lakh without refrigeration. The FDA cited labelling and cold-chain violations.
In Ahilyanagar, officials seized 488 kg of jaggery worth Rs 60,628.20 from a grocery store. The department said the product did not carry mandatory details such as the manufacturer's address, FSSAI licence number, packing date and expiry date.
Further action was reported at establishments in Pune, Sangli, Jalna and Parbhani over the storage and preparation of barfi, modak pedha, farsan, boondi, mysore pak, manvi halwa, shev and motichoor laddoo. The FDA cited various violations, including unhygienic conditions, improper storage, labelling defects and suspected use of artificial colours.
The FDA said further legal action was being initiated in the reported cases under applicable food safety regulations.
HC dismisses Thane restaurant's petition
In a separate development, the Bombay High Court dismissed a petition filed by Udupi Swad Restaurant in Thane challenging the suspension of its food licence and directed the operator to approach the Commissioner of Food Safety with any appeal against the suspension, according to the Maharashtra FDA.
The FDA said an investigation found that the restaurant was purchasing a cheese analogue and selling it to customers as paneer without prior disclosure. The food licence was subsequently suspended by the Assistant Commissioner and Designated Officer, Thane.
The restaurant operator challenged the suspension before the High Court through a writ petition. During the hearing on September 16, the FDA submitted that the competent authority had the power to immediately suspend a licence in the public interest under the Food Safety Act.
The High Court dismissed the petition and directed the operator to approach the Commissioner of Food Safety for any appeal concerning the licence suspension.