Food Adulteration

FSSAI asks states to step up checks to curb food adulteration in festivals

Food regulator FSSAI has asked states to increase surveillance for preventing the sale of adulterated and counterfeit food items during the upcoming festival season, as part of the objective to safeguard public health. In an advisory to all state food commissioners dated September 29, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) stressed the need to focus on sensitive locations. With the onset of the upcoming Navratri and Diwali festivals, the demand for sweets, savouries, beverages, edible oil and milk & milk products and other food items rises, the regulator said. In view of this, the FSSAI stressed the need for "heightened surveillance and enforcement actions to prevent the circulation of adulterated, counterfeited and unsafe food products namely - milk & milk products, sweets, snacks & savouries including namkeen, papad/fryums, edible oil, beverages and ghee." To safeguard public health, the FSSAI asked state food commissioners to conduct inspections and ...

FSSAI asks states to step up food inspections ahead of festival season

The regulator wants enforcement officials to focus on hot spots, deploy Food Safety on Wheels vehicles in markets and record all inspection data in real time

What is inside your supplement? Maharashtra FDA plans wider scrutiny

Tukaram Mundhe plans to examine supplement contents, labelling, consumption and sales as concerns grow over misleading health claims and products that may not match their labels

Best of BS Opinion: State reforms key to improve India's investment climate

From state-level investment reforms and food safety enforcement to next-generation FTAs, corporate living wills and a Tibetan memoir, here are today's top BS Opinion pieces

Maharashtra FDA chief widens crackdown on food adulteration, fake drugs

A civil servant, who has been reportedly been transferred over 25 times in his career, Mundhe is regarded as unyielding administrator whose frequent moves reflect his insistence on strict enforcement

NIT Rourkela unveils AI-based tech for instant spice adulteration detection

NIT Rourkela researchers develop FTIR and AI-based system to detect and quantify spice adulteration within seconds, offering faster and cost-effective food safety monitoring

Andhra milk contamination: Death toll rises to 13; seven under treatment

The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration incident in East Godavari district has risen to 13, while seven persons continue to receive treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram, an official said on Thursday. Health department officials said the cluster of cases was first noticed on February 22 after several elderly residents were admitted to hospitals with symptoms such as anuria, vomiting, abdominal pain and acute renal dysfunction requiring dialysis. Residents from Chowdeswaranagar and Swaroopanagar areas of Lalacheruvu reportedly fell ill after consuming milk suspected to be adulterated and supplied in the locality. "The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration case in East Godavari district has reached 13, while seven persons are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram," the official said. Authorities noted that strong epidemiological indicators point towards milk adulteration as the probable cause and multiple departments have initiated coordinated

Rameshwaram Cafe owners booked after flyer alleges worm found in food

Police have booked the Rameshwaram Cafe owners after a passenger said he found a worm in his food at Bengaluru airport and was later falsely accused of blackmail by the eatery

FDA to crack down on fake paneer, cheese substitutes in Maharashtra

The Food and Drug Administration Department is taking strict action against those using fake paneer or cheese analogues (culinary replacements), Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Minister Narhari Zirwal said on Saturday. In a statement, he said licences of those involved in trade and sale of fake food products will be cancelled. "Paneer is a favourite food item and has a huge demand in the market. Paneer is especially popular among children. However, the Food and Drug Administration has found in its investigation that consumers are sometimes being cheated by using fake paneer or cheese analogue," he said. "Action will be taken against such paneer sellers who mislead consumers. Action will be taken as per Food Safety and Standards Act," he said. According to the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display Regulations) Rules 2020, it is mandatory to display information about all the ingredients and nutritional values of food sold to the consumers. Restaurants, hotels, ...

Explained: What is analogue paneer? Why is the internet buzzing about it?

The use of analogue paneer by food joints has sparked concern, especially in urban areas where many rely on food deliveries and restaurant meals

CBI arrests 4 in Tirupati laddoos adulteration row: What we know so far

Tirupati laddoo adulteration case: Dairy chiefs arrested, here are the allegations against them and a timeline of events

ED raids 9 places in MP over export of adulterated milk products in India

The searches are underway at these locations in Bhopal, Sehore and Morena since early Wednesday

HC refuses to quash 14-yr-old adulteration case against Hindustan Coca-Cola

Criminal proceedings concerning 2001 allegations of adulterated beverages to move forward

Govt to set up 100 food testing labs, 50 food irradiation centres: Paswan

Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan on Monday said the government will build 100 food testing labs and 50 food irradiation centres as part of its efforts to boost processing levels and ensure quality. The minister asked the industry not to compromise on the quality of products as this will affect not only brands but the country's image as well. He said the ministry will set up 100 food testing labs to ensure that products meet standard norms set by regulators. The minister assured the industry that he would try to address any issues and challenges affecting the growth of the food processing sector. Addressing a Ficci seminar, Paswan emphasised the need to minimise wastage and promote value addition. The minister also exhorted industry players to make India a global food basket. "Indian food products should become popular globally. Indian food standards should be recognised as global standards," Paswan said. To boost processing levels, Paswan said as many as 50 food ...

Campaign to curb adulteration in desi ghee, butter launched across U'khand

The Union Health Ministry has written a letter to all the states and directed to take samples of laddus and investigate them, as well as to investigate the ghee sold in the market

Amul seeks return of ice cream tub to investigate centipede complaint

Amul on Monday requested a woman customer in Noida to return the ice cream tub, in which she claimed to have found centipede, for further investigation and asserted that it offers superior quality dairy products in both India and global markets. A woman in Noida has claimed she has found a centipede inside an ice cream tub she ordered through an instant delivery app, said food safety officials, who have launched a probe into the matter. In a post on X on June 15, the woman, who identified herself as Deepa Devi, shared a picture showing the insect inside the ice cream tub. Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets dairy products under Amul brand, regretted the inconvenience caused to the woman customer in Noida. Noida's food safety department has launched a probe into this matter. In a statement, Amul said it immediately responded to the complaint on social media. "We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to her because of this incident," the statement

Minimum six-month jail term proposed for those selling adulterated food

A parliamentary panel has recommended a minimum imprisonment of six months for those selling adulterate food or drinks along with a minimum fine of Rs 25,000. In view of the serious health issues that can result from the consumption of adulterated food, the punishment provided for the offenders under this clause is inadequate, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs headed by BJP MP Brijlal said. "The committee recommends that a minimum punishment of six months be provided for the offence under this clause along with a minimum fine of Rs 25,000," it said. Referring to the sale of noxious food or drinks, the panel said the offence has the potential to affect the public at large and that the punishment provided for the offenders under this clause is also inadequate. "The committee recommends that a minimum punishment of six months be provided for the offence under this clause along with a minimum fine of Rs 10,000," it said. At present, the offence of food adulterati

Food regulator to conduct nationwide milk surveillance to curb adulteration

FSSAI will test paneer, ghee, ice cream and other products sold by organised and unorganised sectors

IIT-M researchers develop device to detect milk adulteration in 30 seconds

Paper-based portable device can also used to test water, fresh juices, and milkshakes

IIT Madras, IISER come up with new method to detect milk adulteration

This technique can be used to detect starch adulteration in milk up to 0.005% weight by volume of starch