FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe warns traders against selling expired food ahead of Diwali

With Diwali near and festive food traditions in full swing, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has issued a clear warning to food businesses. He said the right oil must be used in cooking. The department's drive against adulterated oil is on and will continue.

Mundhe said 1,089 inspections of edible oil have been carried out so far. Eighty licences have been cancelled and 28,753 quintals of goods seized. He said every food business must exercise caution. The responsibility does not rest with the seller alone. Whether a company is small or large, it must ensure that not a single packet of expired food gets out.

According to Mundhe, taking action is not the department's aim; it is simply doing its work continuously. He said the biggest achievement is the compliance orders that have been brought in. Orders have been issued on the rules that should apply to hotels, milk and milk products, oil, school meals and other items. Twenty-two regulations have come so far. Mundhe said the department will also spell out the responsibilities of food businesses, licence holders and officials.

Today's order concerns expired, returned and damaged food. Mundhe said no other state has such an order. It covers expired and spoilt food. He said such spoilt food is reused. A company will now have to provide proof that the food was completely destroyed.

Mundhe also explained why the order was issued. According to him, a disposal certificate is shown without the spoilt food being destroyed, and the food is put back into the chain through an agent. The department has also noticed that dates are being tampered with.

Mundhe said the department has taken major action in the past 15 days. Stock worth Rs 80,000 was seized in Bhiwandi, followed by stock worth Rs 26 lakh. At Vadpe, stock was seized at two places and a permit was suspended.

In all, stock worth Rs 5 crore has been seized. According to Mundhe, 2 cases have been registered after 10 actions. The owners' names have been included, and the number of accused is 32. Expired goods must be kept separately, but this was not found to be the case. Mundhe also said that certificates of food destruction have been received from the disposal companies registered with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. He said this is not a one-day action; the department has been working at it for 2 months.