Mumbai: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, has seized food products worth ₹9.01 crore and suspended the licences of 19 food business operators during a special festive-season enforcement drive across the state.

The action covered 114 establishments across seven divisions and resulted in the seizure of approximately 3.53 lakh kg of food articles. Among the seized products was 2,279.7 litres of Patanjali cow ghee valued at ₹20.20 lakh, recovered from the company’s super distributor, M/s Divya Mahavitarak, in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

The ghee was seized over suspicion of misbranding and adulteration. The FDA said the stock was prima facie found to be in contravention of provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The seizure does not, by itself, establish that the product was conclusively adulterated.

The statewide drive also led to 13 FIRs, 16 arrests, the sealing of seven establishments and the seizure of six vehicles between October 28 and 31.

Patanjali cow ghee worth ₹20.20 lakh seized

The FDA seized a total of 4,032 units of Patanjali cow ghee from M/s Divya Mahavitarak, a super distributor of Patanjali Ayurved in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

The seized stock was divided into two consignments. The first comprised 2,998 units containing 1,349.1 litres, valued at ₹12.29 lakh. The second consisted of 1,034 units containing 930.6 litres, worth ₹7.91 lakh.

Together, the two consignments accounted for 2,279.7 litres of ghee valued at ₹20.20 lakh.

The FDA’s action was based on suspected misbranding and adulteration. The department stated that the stock was prima facie in violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The seizure is part of a wider effort to inspect food products and distribution networks during the festive season, when demand for dairy products, edible oils, sweets and other food items generally increases.

The regulatory action concerns the seized stock and the distributor’s compliance with food safety requirements. It should not be interpreted as a finding that every product sold under the Patanjali brand is unsafe.

Nineteen food businesses face licence suspension

The Maharashtra FDA also suspended the licences and registrations of 19 food business operators.

The establishments included manufacturers of namkeen, sweets and spices in the Mumbai, Amravati and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar divisions. Officials cited serious hygiene deficiencies and violations of food safety regulations.

The reported deficiencies included unhygienic operating conditions, improper food storage, inadequate pest-control arrangements, missing cleaning records and failure to maintain mandatory documentation.

Food businesses are required to follow prescribed hygiene and safety standards throughout manufacturing, storage and distribution. These requirements are intended to prevent contamination and ensure that products reaching consumers meet regulatory standards.

The licence suspensions indicate that the department considered the reported deficiencies serious enough to warrant regulatory action. The affected businesses will have to address the violations through the applicable regulatory process.

The FDA’s inspections also covered food establishments involved in the manufacture and sale of products commonly consumed during festivals.

Edible oil and other food products seized

The enforcement operation extended beyond dairy products.

The FDA seized 1,44,218 kg of edible oil from Avenue Supermarts Ltd in Bhiwandi, in Thane district. Another 20,560 kg of food articles, including rice, pulses, jaggery and other products, was seized from Amin Traders in Satara.

Edible oil was also seized from Swati Oil Mills in Satara and S G Traders in Solapur, according to the department’s statement.

These actions formed part of the broader inspection campaign covering food manufacturing, storage and distribution facilities across Maharashtra.

The department also reported that banned food articles worth ₹79.40 lakh were seized from 17 establishments between October 28 and 31.

The inspections were aimed at identifying products and business practices that allegedly violated food safety requirements. The department’s findings and subsequent regulatory proceedings will determine the further action applicable to individual establishments.

Thirteen FIRs and 16 arrests during the drive

The enforcement campaign resulted in 13 FIRs being registered and 16 people being arrested between October 28 and 31.

Seven establishments were sealed, while six vehicles were seized as part of the action.

The FDA also inspected 34 hotels, restaurants and dhabas in the Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur divisions. Officials served 29 improvement notices after identifying deficiencies relating to food safety and hygiene.

Improvement notices are intended to require food business operators to address shortcomings identified during inspections. Depending on the nature of the violations and the applicable legal provisions, regulators can take further action if establishments fail to comply.

The combination of seizures, licence suspensions, arrests and improvement notices reflects the different enforcement measures used by the department during the campaign.

Food safety checks intensified during festive season

Festivals typically bring increased demand for sweets, dairy products, edible oils, snacks and other food items. Higher sales and large-scale distribution can make food safety inspections particularly important during these periods.

The Maharashtra FDA’s latest operation focused on checking manufacturing units, distributors, warehouses, hotels and restaurants across several divisions.

The seizure of products worth ₹9.01 crore and the suspension of 19 licences underline the scale of the enforcement exercise. The Patanjali ghee seizure also places attention on the responsibility of distributors and food business operators to ensure correct labelling, product quality and compliance with statutory requirements.

Consumers are advised to check product labels, manufacturing and expiry details, packaging integrity and the identity of sellers when purchasing packaged food. Suspected food safety violations can be reported to the relevant authorities.

The FDA’s action was carried out under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and associated rules and regulations. Further proceedings and any laboratory findings, where applicable, will determine the final regulatory outcome in cases involving suspected unsafe or misbranded products.