The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of nine food establishments in the Greater Mumbai division following inspections carried out during a special Ganeshotsav 2026 food safety drive. The campaign, conducted from September 11 to 14, focused on bakeries, sweet shops, dairies and other food businesses amid increased festive demand.
Officials inspected 38 establishments and collected 47 samples, including milk, khoya, ghee and sweets, for laboratory analysis. During the inspections, the FDA also seized 225 kg of suspected adulterated khoya worth ₹60,300 from Brijwasi Mithaiyan in Mulund West after collecting a sample for further testing.
The department said the action was aimed at preventing adulteration and ensuring compliance with food safety and hygiene standards. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said enforcement would continue against businesses selling or storing expired, adulterated or otherwise unsafe food, stressing that public health would not be compromised.
Nine Licences Suspended
The nine establishments facing licence suspension include Ruhafza Bakery in Khar West; Chandru’s Pure Ghee Sweets and Sharma Dairy & Fast Food in Andheri West; Punjabi Chandu Halwai LLP in Grant Road East; Shri Narayan Dairy in Vile Parle West; Gulshan Dairy Farm in Khar West; Tribhuvan Dairy Farm in Ghatkopar West; Mahavir Cashew & Foods Pvt Ltd in Ghatkopar East; and Agrawal Sweet Mart in Jogeshwari, according to reports citing the FDA. The action followed inspections that identified deficiencies under food safety requirements.
The FDA’s wider Mumbai inspections also resulted in action against other establishments. At Brijwasi Mithaiyan in Mulund West, officials seized 225 kg of khoya valued at ₹60,300 and retained a sample for laboratory analysis. At Ayush Milk Supplier in Andheri East, inspectors collected a barfi sample and seized 23 kg of the remaining stock, valued at ₹6,440. The FDA said its inspections covered products that see heightened consumption during the festive season, including sweets, dairy products, khoya and ghee.
Festive Demand Brings Scrutiny
The campaign comes at a time when demand for sweets, dairy products and other festive foods rises sharply during Ganeshotsav and the wider festive period. This creates a greater need for businesses to maintain appropriate storage, hygiene, labelling and food-handling practices, while regulators face the task of identifying unsafe products before they reach consumers.
The Greater Mumbai drive formed part of a wider Maharashtra operation. Across the state, the FDA reported seizing 4,138.7 kg of dairy products and sweets, along with 30 litres of liquid milk, with the seized stock valued at approximately ₹15.58 lakh. The products included khoya, paneer, ghee, peda, halwa, shrikhand, butter and milk powder. In Pune, Kolhapur and Jalgaon, officials also reported seizures of products suspected to be substandard or adulterated and said further legal action was being initiated in relevant cases.
The FDA has also been conducting awareness programmes alongside enforcement. According to the department, workshops were held for Ganesh mandal representatives and self-help groups involved in preparing modaks and prasad, with officials seeking to promote safer food preparation practices during the festival.
Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the department would continue strict action against those dealing in expired, adulterated or otherwise unsafe food. “Playing with the health of consumers and the public will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said, according to The Week.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Festivals are built around food, community and shared traditions, making food safety a collective responsibility. Regulatory inspections are important, but lasting change also depends on businesses following safety standards consistently and consumers being able to trust what they purchase.
At the same time, allegations of adulteration or substandard quality should be distinguished from laboratory-confirmed findings, with due process followed before conclusions are drawn. Strong enforcement, transparent testing and public awareness can work together to protect consumers without unfairly harming businesses that comply with the rules. As festive celebrations continue, what more can regulators, food businesses and consumers do together to make festive food safer for everyone?
