The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday, July 9, carried out a massive statewide crackdown on food safety violations and seized nearly 2,000 litres of milk, and 320 kilograms of dairy products, including basundi and ice cream. The FDA officials also destroyed the seized consignment before it could enter the market.
A series of FDA raids uncovered 1,952 litres of milk and 320 kg of dairy products, taking the total volume of intercepted goods to 2,272 kg/litres. Out of the seized consignment, 210 litres of raw milk was seized in Mumbai, 1,266 litres of cow’s milk from two dairies in Ahilyanagar, 238 litres of mixed milk in Jalgaon, and 160 kg each of basundi and ice cream from a dairy in Ghatkopar.
In a separate operation in Latur, the FDA officials destroyed 238 litres of suspected adulterated buffalo milk that was being transported for sale. Samples from the seized products were also sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has warned strict action against businesses found compromising on food safety, saying surprise inspections would continue across the state.
The action was part of the FDA’s statewide “Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra” campaign, under which officials carried out 18 raids, inspected 58 hotels, restaurants and dhabas, and seized food products worth more than Rs 67 lakh.
The biggest raid was conducted at Gautam Dugdhalaya in Ghatkopar, where the FDA seized 530 kg/litres of raw milk, basundi and ice cream worth Rs 2.79 lakh, and suspended the establishment’s license. Officials said they found labelling violations, unhygienic storage conditions and failure to maintain the prescribed cold chain.
The biggest raid was conducted at Gautam Dugdhalaya in Ghatkopar, where the FDA seized 530 kg/litres of raw milk, basundi and ice cream worth Rs 2.79 lakh, and suspended the establishment’s license. Officials said they found labelling violations, unhygienic storage conditions and failure to maintain the prescribed cold chain.
The drive also targeted grocery and edible oil traders.
The officials seized 9,630 kg of rajgira, mustard, flaxseed and sabja seeds worth Rs 9.76 lakh at the APMC Spice Market in Vashi over suspected misbranding and quality violations. In Nanded, they confiscated 31,096 pouches of refined soybean oil worth Rs 13.53 lakh for alleged labelling violations.
The biggest seizure by value came from the crackdown on banned gutkha and pan masala. The FDA registered eight FIRs, arrested 13 persons, and seized prohibited products worth Rs 41.06 lakh, besides impounding two vehicles allegedly used to transport them.
Inspectors also visited 58 food establishments across Maharashtra, suspending licenses of four businesses over serious food safety violations.( _IE_)
