Mumbai: Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Wednesday announced a stricter, state-wide food safety enforcement plan ahead of the festive season, with increased inspections of food establishments, schools, anganwadis, and facilities supplying meals.

Speaking at a media interaction organised by the Mumbai Press Club, Mundhe said, “The FDA was preparing separate measures covering the period before, during, and after the festive season. The objective, he said, was to ensure that food supplied to the public was prepared and distributed only by authorised operators and in accordance with prescribed safety standards.”

“We are putting the system in place for the festive season. Wait a day or two; you will get that order,” Mundhe said, adding that the measures were intended to prevent any untoward incident during the festive period. He stressed that the regulations would apply irrespective of the festival or the scale of the event.

Mundhe also urged citizens to be cautious about their food intake during the celebrations, particularly products high in fat, salt, and sugar. “Even during the festive season, avoid HFSS—high-fat, salty, and sugary foods. Take them only in limited quantities. Don’t overeat,” he said.

The commissioner said food distributed as mahaprasad or at bhandaras would also come under food safety regulations. “It is not about ‘mahaprasad’; it is not about ‘bhandaras’. It is about regulation,” he said.

He added that all food business operators must possess the required registration or licence and follow food safety protocols. The FDA, he said, would maintain the same standards while inspecting street food vendors, restaurants, hotels, and five-star establishments.

School nutrition and Mid-day meals

School nutrition was another major focus of the FDA. Mundhe said high-fat, salty, and sugary products were restricted around educational institutions, and inspections of school and anganwadi food suppliers were being carried out. Samples from central kitchens supplying meals are also being tested.

“The larger issue is the health of children. We need to develop healthy and nutritious food habits among children,” Mundhe said, stressing that proper nutrition was important for children’s physical, mental, and emotional development.

The commissioner further said the FDA had inspected more than 115 government and semi-government establishments in recent weeks, suspending the licences of around 20 to 25 establishments for violations.

On medicines, Mundhe said, “Products must contain the quantity claimed on their labels,” and warned that medicines failing to meet prescribed standards could face regulatory action. “If it says 5 mg, that quantity has to be present,” he said.