Maharashtra Begins Statewide Inspections to Prevent Food Adulteration Ahead of Diwali

Mumbai | October 4, 2025 With Diwali just around the corner, the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has launched a large-scale inspection drive across the state to ensure the safety and quality of festive food items. The initiative aims to prevent food adulteration, particularly in sweets and other popular festival delicacies. As part of this campaign, officials have already inspected 1,594 sweet shops and collected 2,369 food samples for testing. The campaign, titled “Festival of Maharashtra – Commitment to Food Safety,” covers a wide range of food items including milk, khoya (condensed milk), ghee, edible oils, sweets, dry fruits, and chocolates. Minister Narhari Zirwal, who announced the initiative, said the campaign is part of the government’s efforts to ensure that citizens enjoy a safe and healthy Diwali. “Out of the 554 sample reports received so far, 513 were found safe for consumption, 26 were of substandard quality, four had labeling issues, and 11 were unsafe to eat,” he said. Zirwal also mentioned that testing of the remaining 1,815 samples is still in progress. To further strengthen the crackdown, the FDA is expanding its milk adulteration inspection drive across Maharashtra. The Minister added that strict action will be taken against those found selling unsafe or low-quality food products. He also warned food and drug retailers that failure to pass on GST-related price benefits to consumers will invite strong regulatory action. The statement underscores the government’s focus on consumer rights and food safety during the festive season, when the demand for sweets and dairy products typically rises sharply. To improve enforcement capacity, the FDA has completed the recruitment of over 200 Assistant Commissioners (Food) and Food Safety Officers, filling positions that had been vacant since 2022. A proposal to create an additional 750 posts has been submitted to the Finance Department to further strengthen field operations. The state government has also focused on improving testing infrastructure. Several food testing laboratories across Maharashtra have been upgraded to handle the increased workload during the festive season. New laboratories in Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Pune are expected to be inaugurated soon, which will significantly improve the speed and efficiency of food testing. According to the Minister, the FDA has also proposed the addition of 250 more laboratory posts. The state has approved Rs 200 crore for this initiative, sanctioned by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar. The funding aims to enhance testing capacity and ensure timely and accurate results. The Maharashtra government hopes that these combined efforts—strict inspections, upgraded labs, and more staff—will make this festive season safer for everyone. The FDA continues to urge shop owners to maintain high hygiene standards and assures consumers that every effort is being made to keep adulterated food off their plates this Diwali. Maharashtra Cracks Down on Food Adulteration Before Diwali Ahead of Diwali, the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration has started statewide inspections to stop adulteration in sweets and other festive foods. Officials have checked over 1,500 sweet shops and collected more than 2,000 samples for testing. So far, 11 samples were found unsafe, while most others passed quality checks. The drive covers milk, khoya, ghee, dry fruits, chocolates, and oils. Minister Narhari Zirwal said strict action will be taken against violators. The state has also upgraded food labs and hired new officers to ensure safe, quality food during the festive season.