A year-round enforcement programme targeting food adulteration during festivals and large religious gatherings has been introduced by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), marking the first time such a structured festival-specific calendar has been adopted in the state. The initiative has been rolled out after months of intensified food-safety enforcement under FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, during which surprise inspections and action against violations have been stepped up across Maharashtra.
Under the new “Festival Enforcement Calendar”, festivals, fairs, urus and religious events will be classified into three tiers based on their size and geographical spread. For each category, food products considered vulnerable to adulteration will be identified in advance, along with possible adulterants, sampling requirements and the enforcement measures to be undertaken. Through the system, food-safety inspections are expected to be planned around periods when demand and large-scale food preparation typically increase.
An enforcement cycle beginning 21 days before each festival has been prescribed, with operations allowed to continue for up to 30 days. During the initial phase, high-risk locations will be identified, intelligence will be gathered and dedicated enforcement squads will be formed. The availability of testing kits, reagents and adequate laboratory capacity will also be ensured before field operations are intensified.
Around 14 days before a festival, inspections will be expanded to manufacturing facilities, mills, markets, godowns, cold-storage facilities and wholesale markets. Food consignments being transported during late-night and early-morning hours will also be subjected to scrutiny. During the festival period itself, market surveillance, inspections and on-the-spot testing will be carried out. Once celebrations conclude, laboratory reports will be followed up, prosecution proceedings will be initiated where required, and seized food products will be disposed of according to prescribed procedures.
Eleven high-risk categories have been identified by the FDA, including milk and dairy products, meat, sweets, fasting foods, edible oils, fruits, dry fruits, gram flour, water and ice, bakery products, food supplied through e-commerce channels and imported food. Fasting ingredients such as bhagar, kuttu, singhada flour, sago and rajgira will additionally be tested for the presence of mycotoxins.
Product-specific checks have also been incorporated into the calendar. Milk and dairy products will be monitored during early-morning transportation, when large quantities are commonly moved through the supply chain. During Eid, greater scrutiny will be placed on meat outlets, slaughterhouses and cold-chain facilities.
Frying oil used by food establishments will be tested for total polar compounds (TPC) before and during major festivals. Oil in which TPC levels are found to exceed 25 per cent will be destroyed. At sweet shops, checks will be conducted for unauthorised food colours and adulteration of silver leaf. Action will also be initiated where newspapers or other printed paper are found to be used for wrapping food.
The scope of inspections will not be restricted to traditional markets and food manufacturers. Special checks will also be conducted at bakeries, restaurants and quick-commerce warehouses, bringing newer food-distribution channels within the festival enforcement framework.
Large-scale community food services have also been included. Food distributed at mahaprasad, iftar, annachhatra, langar and bhandara gatherings will be subjected to food-safety checks. Organisers will be required to engage licensed caterers and provide advance information to the FDA.
With enforcement being planned before, during and after major festivals, a more predictable and risk-based regulatory framework has effectively been established. Rather than food adulteration being addressed only after violations are detected, potential risks are intended to be identified earlier across manufacturing, transportation, storage, retail and community food distribution.
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