FDA begins crackdown on shops to curb food adulteration

As people begin shopping for Diwali, among the top-of-the list of items to purchase are sweets. However, be careful this Diwali before you indulge your sweet tooth, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the two-day raids across various city shops has confiscated adulterated snacks for Diwali. They have seized sweets worth Rs 3 lakhs and sent the samples to the forensic laboratory for further examination.

Shailesh Adhav, Joint Commissioner Food, Maharashtra FDA said, they have seized 12 samples worth three lakhs and have sent the samples to the laboratory. “As many as 12 samples have been sent for forensic analysis. We are waiting for their report. Once, we get all the reports, we will take action for violation of the food safety rules under FDA,” Adhav said. Acting on a tip-off, FDA raided several shops in Dharavi, Kurla and Borivali on October 19 and 20, as part of their drive before Diwali. “During Diwali, people buy sweets to celebrate wherein there is a high demand for sweets. Taking advantage of it, shopkeepers often use adulterated products to make sweets, which is injurious to one's health. We raided these shops based on information and seized all the sub-standard contents,” said Pallavi Darade, FDA commissioner.

FDA has also asked Mumbaikars to report on any cases of food adulteration on their helpline number 1800222365.