Nashik: Ban On Sale Of Loose Edible Oil Not New, FDA Clarifies

Nashik: The ban on the sale of loose or unpackaged edible oil is not a new decision taken by the Maharashtra government or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2026. The provision has been in force across the country since 2011, and the administration has issued a state-wide compliance order to ensure effective implementation of existing laws.

In its clarification, the FDA stated that under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and its associated regulations, edible oil must be sold only in sealed, safe and fully labelled packaging that meets prescribed standards. Loose edible oil refers to oil that has not been made available for sale by the manufacturer or authorised packer in its original, sealed, tamper-proof and fully labelled packaging.

This includes oil measured out from large drums, tanks or cans into a customer's bottle; oil transferred into smaller containers after breaking the original seal; or oil sold in old or reused tins. It is mandatory for the oil to be in sealed and labelled packaging at the time of sale to the end consumer.

Risks Associated With Loose Oil

Loose oil makes it difficult to trace the source, facilitates adulteration, increases the likelihood of oxidation and rancidity, poses a risk of contamination due to unhygienic or reused containers, and makes it impossible to recall defective oil. The provision was introduced in the interest of public health against the backdrop of serious incidents such as Epidemic Dropsy.

A time-bound exemption had been granted in Maharashtra until 2020; it was not a permanent permission. Many traders failed to comply with the regulations even after the exemption period expired. Similar bans are already in effect in states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Action Taken in Maharashtra

During the 2025-26 period, 1,247 samples of edible oil were collected. Of these, 77 were found to be substandard, 13 unsafe and 15 misbranded. A stock of approximately 3.20 lakh kg, valued at roughly ₹5.31 crore, was seized. In Beed district alone, loose oil worth approximately ₹1.14 crore was confiscated.

Appeal to Consumers

Consumers have been advised not to purchase loose edible oil. Instead, they should buy sealed oil after verifying the label, batch number, packaging date and Best Before date, and insist on a receipt. Complaints can be registered at complaints.mahafda.in or by calling 1800 222 365 / 1800 112 2100.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe clarified that the measure is not intended to inconvenience consumers but to protect them from adulterated oil that poses health risks.