Maharashtra FDA seizes food stock worth Rs 63.45 crore
The agency suspended 954 licences during a two-month enforcement drive across the state.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized 3,098.46 tonnes of food stock valued at Rs 63.45 crore and suspended 954 licences during a two-month enforcement drive between September 1 and November 3, according to ThePrint.
During a specific inspection period from October 15 to November 3, the agency suspended 326 licences and seized 1,886.44 metric tonnes of stock worth Rs 44.37 crore, Urban Acres reported.
The inspections covered various sectors including production facilities, retailers, street vendors, caterers, and digital delivery platforms. Officials checked kitchen cleanliness, storage temperatures, and the validity of FSSAI licences.
Commodity-wise, the broader two-month drive saw the seizure of 925.11 tonnes of edible oils worth Rs 16.31 crore and 895.32 tonnes of salt, spices, and condiments valued at Rs 21.09 crore. Other seizures included 171.57 tonnes of milk products worth Rs 7.63 crore and 156.66 tonnes of dry fruits worth Rs 7.47 crore.
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe advised consumers to avoid sweets with unnatural colours or those that feel sticky and smell sour. He suggested that people can test edible silver by rubbing it between their fingers to see if it creates a foil.
Mundhe also noted that a team was sent to Amravati to examine a sweet shop selling gold-plated sweets for Rs 24,000 per kg. Future actions will depend on laboratory testing of the 8,835 food samples collected during the drive.