Home / Health / Spice Crackdown: 84 Units Lose Licenses Over Unhygienic Masalas
Spice Crackdown: 84 Units Lose Licenses Over Unhygienic Masalas
29 Oct
Summary
- 84 spice establishments had licenses suspended by FDA for poor conditions.
- Nearly Rs 19.7 crore worth of masalas were seized in state inspections.
- Citizens urged to buy only labeled spices and report suspicious products.
State food and drug administration officials have suspended the licenses of 84 spice and condiment establishments across Maharashtra for failing to meet hygiene standards. The crackdown, which intensified in the past two months leading up to the festive season, also resulted in the seizure of 11,907 quintals of masalas valued at approximately Rs 19.7 crore. In a single week recently, 452 establishments were inspected, leading to 72 license suspensions and the confiscation of items worth Rs 13.6 crore.
Inspections in Mumbai alone led to 10 license suspensions and 54 improvement notices for businesses found operating in poor and unhygienic conditions. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar recorded the highest number of suspensions with 27 units, followed by Pune and Amravati with 14 each. The FDA commissioner urged citizens to purchase spices only from licensed and registered sellers, advising them to avoid loose, unlabelled products and to verify batch numbers and packing dates.
Ahead of Diwali, the FDA plans to further intensify retailer inspections to prevent the sale of expired or substandard spices. Stringent actions will be taken against any food business operator found manufacturing, storing, or selling adulterated or unsafe spices. Citizens are encouraged to report any suspicious spice products on the FDA's toll-free number or their online portal.
