1 week ago
Maharashtra FDA Warns of Severe Penalties for Edible Oil Violations
Maharashtra’s food safety department is starting stronger checks on edible oil.
It will inspect oil from the time it is made until it reaches people.
Officials are especially concerned when cooking oil is used repeatedly or when used oil returns to the market.
Businesses that break the rules could face very serious punishment, including prison and large fines.
The FDA also says people should avoid loose or unsealed oil.
For packaged oil, shoppers should check the batch number and manufacturing and expiry dates.
Officials tested 1,247 samples and found that some were sub-standard, unsafe or misbranded.
The commissioner also said some companies must not falsely advertise vitamins or minerals in their oil.
The FDA has separately issued notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff and a tobacco company over a Vimal Elaichi advertisement.
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said edible oil is the next focus of the “Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra” campaign.
The FDA will inspect production, packaging, distribution, sale and use, including repeated reuse of cooking oil.
Violators could face imprisonment ranging from seven years to life and fines of up to Rs 10 lakh, according to Mundhe.
The FDA collected 1,247 edible oil samples, with 1,142 meeting standards, 77 sub-standard, 13 unsafe and 15 misbranded.
Officials seized 3,20,781 kg of edible oil stock valued at about Rs 5.31 crore and warned against loose or unsealed oil.
- Who
- The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration, led by Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, along with edible-oil manufacturers, distributors, retailers and food establishments.
- What
- A statewide crackdown on edible-oil violations, including unsafe reuse, adulteration, misbranding, improper labelling and supply-chain breaches.
- Where
- Maharashtra, including Mumbai.
- When
- The announcement was made on Thursday; the cited testing and seizure figures relate to the previous year, with one report identifying the sampling period as financial year 2025-26.
- Why
- To ensure edible oil complies with food-safety rules, remains traceable and is not repeatedly reused or returned to consumers through misleading packaging.
Key facts
- Campaign
- Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra
- Samples collected
- 1,247 edible oil samples
- Sample findings
- 1,142 met standards; 77 were sub-standard, 13 unsafe and 15 misbranded
- Stock seized
- 3,20,781 kg valued at approximately Rs 5.31 crore
- Potential penalties
- Imprisonment from seven years to life and fines of up to Rs 10 lakh, according to the FDA commissioner
- Licenced operators
- Maharashtra has 212 centrally licenced edible-oil producers and 285 state-licenced operators
- Advertising notices
- Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff and a tobacco company had not yet responded to notices concerning a Vimal Elaichi advertisement
Quotes
Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Munde
Commissioner of Maharashtra FDA
“"No company can claim they have ingredients like certain vitamins and minerals in the edible oil they sell, the FDA chief said, adding they will take action for violation of advertising rules."”
NDTV
“"This is very dangerous. We also held a meeting with these companies. They said they were not getting nearly the same amount of oil compared to what the hospitality sector consumed."”
NDTV
Sources
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