Pune: FDA Seizes ₹9.61 Crore Worth Of Food Products; 8 Eatery Licences Suspended

Pune: The Pune division of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized food products worth approximately ₹9.61 crore during a 14-day special enforcement drive targeting suspected food adulteration and labelling violations. Action was taken against 44 establishments between October 1 and 14. The department also suspended the licences of eight hotels, restaurants and bakeries as part of the campaign.

The action was conducted under the Maharashtra government’s ‘Safe Food, Safe Drug, Safe Maharashtra’ initiative, with the FDA targeting suspected adulterated food products and goods allegedly carrying misleading or defective labels.

Edible oils, milk and dairy products among major seizures

The FDA took action against several traders and manufacturers dealing in edible oils across Pune, Sangli, Solapur, Satara and Kolhapur districts. The products listed included refined soybean oil, refined palmolein oil, rice bran oil, groundnut oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil and mustard oil.

In Pune district, the FDA took action against M/s Ganesh Sahakari Dudh Vyavsaayik Sanstha Maryadit, located on the Nagar-Kalyan Highway in Junnar taluka, over a stock of ghee. The department also seized products from M/s Shiv Sahyadri Milk Sankalan and Shitakaran Kendra in Kawathe Yemai, Shirur taluka, where cow milk was found to have been improperly stored.

Other establishments included M/s J D Rathod Oil Merchant in Akkalkot, Solapur district; M/s Laxmi Oil Mill in Mahud, Solapur district; M/s Rajaram Annappa Phalle in Islampur, Sangli district; and M/s Nitish Oil Industries in Patan, Satara district.

In Kolhapur district, action was taken against M/s Pankaj Trading Company in Ichalkaranji and M/s Mathuresh Traders in Uchagaon. The department also listed M/s Mahalaxmi Enterprises in Kolhapur and M/s New Vishwanath Industries in Solapur among the establishments where edible oil stocks were seized.

Action against snack and sweet manufacturers

The enforcement drive also covered manufacturers and sellers of snacks, farsan and traditional sweets. In Pune district, the FDA took action against M/s Shree Dev Food Products in Varsoli, Maval taluka, over mixed chikki and loose roasted peanuts, and M/s Aaimata Farsan and Wafers in Ambegaon-Dhankawadi over Sp. Kaka Tikha Farsan.

The press note also listed M/s Sagar Traders in Kupwad, Sangli district, in connection with roasted vermicelli.

Further action was taken against M/s Shri Balaji Sweet Mart and M/s Sirvi Bandhu Mithai Wale in Vita, Khanapur taluka, Sangli district, over sweets including jalebi, Mysore pak and boondi ladoo. M/s Ruchira Sweets in Kavathe Piran was also named in connection with coconut barfi and Mysore pak.

In Pune, action was recorded against M/s Aashish Foods and M/s Reddy Sweet House in Bibwewadi over banana wafers and other food products. M/s Bansal Trading Company in Gultekdi was also among the establishments named in the press note.

Eight hotel and restaurant licences suspended

The FDA separately listed eight hospitality establishments against which action was initiated over suspected food-safety violations. These included Killa Hotel in Wagholi; The Dragon Table Chinese in Warje-Malwadi; The Cozy Cafe on Sinhagad College Road in Wadgaon Budruk; HNG Hospitality LLP in Kothrud; Punjabi Dhaba; Khan E Khas in Kondhwa Khurd; Hotel Sonai in Uruli Devachi; and Jubilant FoodWorks Limited (Domino’s Pizza) in Warje.

The action against these establishments forms part of the FDA’s wider enforcement effort to ensure compliance with food-safety requirements.