Maharashtra FDA seizes 28,753 quintals of substandard edible oil, suspends 80 licences

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra has seized 28,753 quintals of substandard edible oil in a recent special drive across the state. The oil is valued at Rs 18.95 crore. Officials also suspended 80 food business licences during the drive.

Pune division led the seizures with 19,551 quintals, followed by Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar with 5,736 quintals. The remaining divisions together accounted for 3,466 quintals: 506.70 from Mumbai, 2,146 from Konkan, 388.65 from Nashik, 255.96 from Nagpur and 167.61 from Amravati.

Between April 1 and October 29, the FDA carried out 1,089 inspections across the state at edible oil manufacturers, repackers, relabellers, wholesalers and retailers. In all, 1,660 samples were taken for testing. According to the reports received so far, 40 samples were found substandard, 18 unsafe and five misbranded, while 462 met the prescribed standards. The FDA is still awaiting reports on 1,171 samples.

Food licences of several establishments were suspended after the inspections. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar had the most suspensions at 27, followed by Pune with 22 and Mumbai city with eight. Nagpur, Nashik and Konkan had six each, and Amravati five. Konkan division covers Navi Mumbai and the surrounding area.

In the Mumbai region, the establishments acted against include Ankit Oils in Kurla, Byculla Oil Depot, Raj Oil Trading in Nagpada, Ashapura Traders in Goregaon, Deepa Wood Pressed Oil in Ghatkopar, Momai Oil and Grain Depot in Malad, and two units of Ajanta Oil Trading in Kandivali. In Konkan division, action was taken against Advait Cold Pressed Oil in Kamothe, Node Agro in Turbhe, Gram Guru in Shilphata and two units of Avenue Supermarts in Bhiwandi.

The FDA also listed the grounds for action. These include selling oil in reused tins and unlabelled containers, suspected adulteration, making and storing oil in unhygienic conditions, having no in-house laboratory or technical staff, and violating labelling rules.

The FDA has advised consumers to buy only sealed, properly labelled packs of oil from licensed sellers, and to avoid loose oil or products sold in reused containers. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said, "Strict action will be taken against any operator found making, storing or selling adulterated, substandard or unsafe edible oil."