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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra State, conducted a raid on 11 food manufacturing units in Thane’s Shil-Diva area and seized raw materials, finished food products and edible oil worth Rs 20.48 lakh, the department said. The FDA Thane team raided the units located in Khardi Village, Bhaskar Compound, on Wednesday.

"The Government of Maharashtra maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding food quality and enforcement of food safety laws. Compromising public health or consumer safety will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Strict legal action will continue against anyone selling or storing expired or adulterated food items," said Tukaram Munde, Commissioner, FDA, Maharashtra.

During the action, the department seized over 28,955 kg of solid food materials and raw ingredients along with 56 litres of oil valued at Rs 20,48,801.50. The seized items included potato wafers, farali chivda, mixed farsan, bhakarwadi, schezwan sticks, banana chips, refined flour, gram flour and palm oil, according to the FDA.

State-wide Crackdown on Food Safety

The department also informed that organisers of mass food distribution events during festivals will have to submit a prior notification form on the Food & Drug Grievance Portal at least seven days before the event.

The FDA further stated that licenses and registrations of prominent eateries in Mumbai (6), Konkan (1), Pune (3), and Sambhajinagar (1) have been suspended due to major safety violations. Further action will continue against those violating food safety laws, the administration said.

Earlier on Wednesday, under the state campaign ‘Safe Food, Safe Medicine, Safe Maharashtra’, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra has executed strict enforcement actions, suspending licenses of prominent eateries, dark stores, and dairy suppliers due to critical hygiene and food safety violations.

According to a press release, the FDA Maharashtra inspected 5 base kitchens and food plazas supplying railway passengers under the railway catering services and suspended the food license of a Mumbai hotel for severe cockroach infestation, unhygienic transportation, and injured food handlers. It also issued improvement notices to 4 other suppliers.

The FDA Maharashtra instantly suspended licenses for e-commerce platforms following discoveries of severe live cockroach infestations, critical cold-chain breaches (dairy stored above safe temperatures), selling expired goods, and unhygienic drainage. (ANI)