Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The percentage of food samples found non-conforming to the prescribed standards after testing has more than halved in the last three years in Madhya Pradesh.
According to official data, the percentage of samples found substandard fell from 13.53% in 2023-24 to 6.37% in 2025-26. In the same period, the number of samples collected grew from 14,939 to 18,534 - a rise of about 24%.
In 2023-24, 14,939 food samples were collected from shops and eateries in the state by personnel from the State Food and Drug Administration (FDA). After testing, 2,022 were found substandard, which was 13.53% of the collected samples.
In 2024-25, of the 15,264 samples collected, 1,635 (10.71%) were found substandard. The corresponding figures for 2025-26 were 18,534 and 1,561. Thus, only 6.36% of the samples were found to substandard.
The FDA filed 2,161 cases in the courts in cases of food adulteration, misbranding, misleading claims etc in 2023-24. The number of such cases fell to 1,561 in 2025-26.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had set a target of collecting 17,400 samples, 26,100 surveillance samples and conducting 17,400 inspections for the state FDA for 2025-26. Against it, 18,534 (106.51% of the target) legal samples and 26,100 (102.95%) surveillance samples were collected and 22,269 (97.2%) inspections were conducted.
During the last financial year, the department received 180 consumer complaints of which 175 were disposed of.
