FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe warns Diwali buyers against adulterated sweets, explains how to spot them

Diwali has begun, and sweets and khoya are selling in large quantities in shops. Sales will rise further in the coming days. Ahead of this, Tukaram Mundhe, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has warned people to be careful.

Speaking to the media, Mundhe said people should buy only as much sweet as they need. They should not take khoya sweets that have been lying in a shop for more than two or three days. He appealed to buyers to take full care when purchasing sweets or khoya, and said they should buy only well-known, labelled sweets and khoya. If there is any doubt, or a complaint of adulteration, people should inform the FDA and the department will take appropriate action. He also said sweet shops and other shop operators will have to take full precautions.

Mundhe gave some tips for identifying fake sweets. Do not buy sweets with too much colour or a very garish colour. Buy only if the packet carries the date on which the sweet or khoya was made. Take special care with sweets coated with gold or silver leaf (varakh). Check silver varakh before buying. If the varakh dissolves when held in the hand, it is fine. But if it forms a foil, it should be taken as aluminium foil. So be alert when buying sweets with silver or gold varakh.

On enforcement, Mundhe said keeping people healthy is the department's job. For this reason a statewide drive has been run during the festival season. In this action from September 1 to November 3, a total of 954 licences have been suspended. Food stocks worth Rs 64.45 crore have been seized. During this period 9,667 food establishments were inspected, 4,603 establishments were served notices and 8,835 food samples were taken for testing. He said 398 tonnes of food stock have been seized.

During Diwali alone, between October 15 and November 3, 3,332 food establishments were inspected. Of these, 1,501 were served notices, 326 licences were suspended and 15 permits were cancelled. In the same period 1,828 tonnes of food stock have been seized. In view of Diwali, khoya, mawa, milk, paneer, edible oil, food colours and other items brought in from other states have also been tested.