Amid the Maharashtra crackdown on food hygiene in the state, IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe hailed the Food and Drugs Administration's raids on products from PepsiCo, Nestle food exports in Navi Mumbai, Noida and Delhi.
The raids, conducted between August 24 and 29 with the Thane and Navi Mumbai police, revealed that 10 companies were selling counterfeit food products or repackaging expired products for sale.
Popular brands such as Lay’s, Kurkure, Maggi, Knorr, Hellmann’s and Thums Up were among the list of products being counterfeited.
Also Read | Lay's, Thums Up repackaged: FDA finds expired dates, nutrition stickers in Noida, Navi Mumbai units
As per the FDA, the companies would repackage expired stocks and alter the manufacturing and expiration dates. The firm added that companies would also change nutritional facts by pasting new stickers on the back of the products.
Mundhe on FDA crackdown
Taking to social media platform X, IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe hailed the move. Mundhe has become a household name across the country for his strict crackdown on food safety violations in Maharashtra.
{{/usCountry}}Taking to social media platform X, IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe hailed the move. Mundhe has become a household name across the country for his strict crackdown on food safety violations in Maharashtra.
{{/usCountry}}"When a label lies, the consumer pays the price. An expiry date is not just ink on a package. A nutrition label is not just information. They are promises made to the consumer," Mundhe wrote on X.
"Effective regulation is not about creating fear in the industry. It is about creating an ecosystem where honest businesses are protected, violations are detected, and citizens are not deceived," he said, adding that when labels are manipulated, it is not only a violation of regulations but also a breach of public trust.
Mundhe and the Maharashtra FDA's raids have also gained the attention of the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court.
Earlier this week, the Maharashtra FDA suspended the licenses of two food establishments in Mumbai over violations of food safety, hygiene and health standards.
The companies in the line of fire were Eatclub Brands Private Limited, located at Royal Palms, Aarey Milk Colony, and Rani Diets Consultant and Service Providers in Jari Mari, Kurla West, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Led by Mundhe, FDA inspectors allegedly found inadequate storage facilities for food, packaging material, chemicals and employees' belongings, insufficient hand-washing and hygiene facilities. The officials also flagged inadequate ventilation and pest-control measures, and failure to properly inspect and clean raw materials.