Pune FDA Seizes Nearly ₹2 Crore Adulterated Food Stock in Festive Crackdown
Pune FDA seizes adulterated food stock worth ₹1.97 cr in festival season raid; 196 outlets warned, samples tested for consumer safety.
Pune, October 17, 2025: In a major pre-festival crackdown, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Pune has seized adulterated and substandard food stock valued at nearly ₹1.97 crore. The large-scale operation, conducted under the campaign “San Maharashtra Cha – Sankalp Ann Surakshatecha”, was launched to safeguard consumers from unsafe and misleading food products during the festive season.
The FDA inspected around 353 food establishments across the city, covering sweet shops, dairies, bakeries, and oil suppliers. As a result, improvement notices were issued to 196 outlets for violating safety standards and hygiene norms. Officials collected 654 food samples—including items such as khoya, mawa, milk, paneer, butter, ghee, vanaspati, edible oils, and bhagar—for laboratory testing.
Out of 216 samples tested so far, 190 were found compliant, while 5 were substandard, 8 misbranded, and 13 unsafe for consumption. The FDA has initiated strict legal action against all erring businesses under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Joint Commissioner of FDA (Pune Division) Suresh Annapure emphasized that such drives are essential to ensure food quality, especially during the festive rush when adulteration practices tend to spike. He urged citizens to remain alert while buying sweets, milk products, or oils and to report suspicious or poor-quality food items. For this purpose, the FDA has activated a toll-free complaint number 1800-22-2365.
Officials said that the festival season often sees a surge in demand for dairy and sweet products, which increases the risk of adulteration for profit motives. Unscrupulous vendors sometimes use cheaper substitutes or misleading labels to boost margins, posing severe health risks to consumers. The FDA’s proactive campaign aims to curb these practices and maintain public health standards.
This operation also highlights Pune’s growing concerns regarding food safety as the city’s population and consumption demands rise rapidly. Authorities confirmed that regular surprise inspections and legal actions will continue throughout the festive period to prevent recurrence.
Citizens are encouraged to check for FSSAI certification, verify manufacturing and expiry dates, and avoid purchasing loose or unlabelled products. The FDA has also appealed to hoteliers, sweet manufacturers, and retailers to follow proper hygiene standards and ensure that ingredients meet quality norms.
The seizure of nearly ₹2 crore worth of unsafe and adulterated food materials sends a strong message to those compromising on consumer health. Such strict enforcement steps not only protect the public but also uphold trust in the city’s food trade network.
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