FDA cracks down on adulteration ahead of Diwali, issues sweet-buying advice

With Diwali shopping in full swing, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun a crackdown on adulterators who play with people's health. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said at a press conference in Mumbai that action has been taken across the state on milk, edible oil, sweets, khoya, namkeen and dairy products.

Mundhe said the FDA is a shield that protects public health. He also appealed to people to complain directly to the FDA if they see any irregularity or adulteration in food items anywhere in the market.

Demand for sweets and khoya rises sharply during the festival season. With this in mind, Mundhe has issued important advisories for both customers and traders. The first concerns the licence: buy only from a shop that holds a valid FDA licence.

He also drew attention to the quantity bought. Buy only as many sweets as needed, and bring home only as much stock as will be finished in two days. It is not advisable to buy sweets to last eight days and keep them in the refrigerator. Do not buy khoya that carries no label or whose expiry date has passed. Avoid cheap goods and those with garish colours.

On milk and ghee, the commissioner said people should buy packaged milk rather than loose or raw milk. Adulteration of ghee or oil with animal fat or chemicals of any kind will not be tolerated. Edible oil used for frying should not be reused repeatedly.

On colours, the instruction is that chemical colours should not be used heavily in laddoos or other sweets. Even natural colours should be added only within the prescribed limit. The FDA has destroyed garishly coloured food items that violated the rules.

The silver leaf (varakh) put on sweets must be pure. Mundhe made it clear that stern legal action will be taken if aluminium is used in place of silver.

When buying gift boxes, chocolates, cakes and modaks for Diwali, check the labelling and expiry date. There is a possibility that gift vouchers or hampers sometimes contain items past their expiry date, so buy only after getting full information. The FDA has appealed to people to celebrate an adulteration-free festival.