Mumbai, October 29, 2026 | MBA NEWSZ

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized 11,963.87 quintals of spices and spice products valued at ₹19.70 crore and suspended 84 food business licences following inspections at 1,057 establishments across the state.

According to an official statement issued on Thursday, the inspections were conducted between April 1 and October 29, 2026, as part of a statewide campaign against adulterated, substandard and unsafe spices.

During this period, the FDA collected 1,616 food samples and issued 557 improvement notices to food business operators.

Special Enforcement Drive Results in ₹13.60 Crore Seizures

An intensive seven-day enforcement drive conducted between October 23 and 29 resulted in the suspension of 72 food business licences and the seizure of spices and related products worth ₹13.60 crore.

The special operation accounted for approximately 69% of the total seizure value recorded since April.

During the drive, FDA officials inspected 472 establishments, collected 783 samples and issued 249 improvement notices.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Records Highest Seizure Value

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar recorded the highest seizure value at ₹6.43 crore, followed by Pune at ₹4 crore and Konkan at ₹3.19 crore.

According to the FDA statement, laboratory analysis found that 337 samples complied with prescribed food safety standards, while nine were classified as substandard, six as unsafe and 18 as misbranded.

Analysis reports for 1,053 samples are still awaited.

FDA Initiates Legal and Regulatory Action

The department has disposed of four compounding cases, imposing penalties totalling ₹1.47 lakh. It has also filed 13 adjudication cases, while one case remains pending before a court.

The enforcement action followed a compliance order issued on October 15 and covered manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers dealing in spices and spice products.

Establishments with suspended licences are prohibited from conducting food business under those licences during the suspension period.

The FDA has also restricted the sale, transportation, transfer, repacking, relabelling or disposal of seized stock without prior written permission from the competent authority.

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe Issues Advisory to Traders

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe urged traders and food business operators to maintain accurate records of raw material sources, purchases and sales.

He also advised businesses to sell spices only in properly labelled packages to ensure compliance with food safety requirements.

Consumers Advised to Check Spice Packaging Before Purchase

The FDA has advised consumers to avoid purchasing loose or unlabelled spices and verify essential packaging details, including batch numbers, packing dates and best-before dates.

The department's statewide action underscores the importance of regulatory compliance, product traceability and consumer awareness in maintaining food safety standards.