Archive · 3 Oct 2026
Maharashtra FDA Plans Broad Scrutiny of Dietary Supplements
Maharashtra’s food safety department plans to check dietary supplements.
These are products people may take without a doctor’s prescription.
The department’s chief, Tukaram Mundhe, said some products may not contain what their labels promise.
He also said some claims about them can be misleading.
The planned order could cover what is in the products, how they are used, and how they are sold.
The department has already issued orders about food for infants and some foods in and around schools.
Mundhe says these steps are meant to help people understand food safety rules.
He also says he will investigate claims that officials are asking businesses for money if he is given specific information.
Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said nutraceuticals are the department’s next focus.
A planned order is expected to cover supplement contents, consumption, prescriptions and sales.
Mundhe said the FDA had found misleading claims and products that did not contain ingredients they claimed to have.
The planned action follows FDA orders concerning infant food and foods high in fat, salt and sugar in and near schools.
Mundhe said he would investigate allegations of officials seeking money if he received specific details; he said no formal complaint had reached him.
- Who
- Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe and the FDA.
- What
- The FDA plans an order covering nutraceuticals, including their contents, consumption, prescriptions and sale.
- When
- Mundhe discussed the plan on Friday, four months into his tenure as FDA commissioner.
- Where
- At The Indian Express’ Mumbai office.
- Why
- Mundhe said the FDA’s findings about nutraceuticals were disturbing, citing misleading claims and products that may not contain their stated ingredients.
FDA’s position
Critics’ concerns
Publicizing raid footage
FDA’s position
Mundhe said sharing photos and videos of raids informs the public and helps counter claims that the FDA is covering up its actions.
Critics’ concerns
Restaurateurs have described the release of raid photos and videos as defamatory.
Alleged extortion
FDA’s position
Mundhe said he would investigate allegations against FDA officials if given specific details; he said no formal complaint had reached him.
Critics’ concerns
Sanjay Raut alleged that FDA officials were threatening hotels, restaurants and quick-commerce firms with licence suspensions to extort money.
- Planned action
- An FDA order on nutraceuticals and dietary supplements.
- Possible scope
- Contents, consumption, prescription and selling.
- Market estimate
- India’s dietary supplements market was valued at Rs 20,146 crore in 2025, according to IMARC.
- Market projection
- IMARC projected the market would reach Rs 57,262 crore by 2034, growing about 12 per cent annually.
- Earlier FDA orders
- Orders concerning infant food and foods high in fat, salt and sugar in schools and within 50 metres of them.
- Festival seizure
- During Ganpati, the FDA seized about 6.3 lakh kg of suspect food valued at about Rs 9.76 crore.
- Allegations against officials
- Mundhe said no formal complaint had reached him and asked for specific information to investigate claims of extortion.