Maharashtra FDA Seizes ₹1.29 Crore Worth of Food Oil in Pune Division Raids

Pune, October 10 (Daily Kiran) : The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched a significant operation in Pune Division aimed at ensuring the availability of safe and quality food oils during the festive season. On October 9, 2026, the FDA conducted raids at 25 establishments across Pune, Sangli, Solapur, Satara, and Kolhapur districts, seizing a total of 74,612.11 kilograms of food oil valued at over ₹1.29 crore.The special operation targeted food oils that were suspected to be of substandard quality, unsafe, or improperly labeled. Officials indicated that all seized samples would be sent for laboratory testing. Legal action will follow based on the test results against the implicated establishments. In Pune district alone, eight establishments were raided, resulting in the confiscation of 34,481 kilograms of food oil worth approximately ₹58.90 lakh. In Sangli, four establishments were targeted, leading to the seizure of 2,536 kilograms valued at around ₹4.07 lakh.The Solapur district saw five establishments raided, yielding 13,490 kilograms of food oil worth about ₹25.33 lakh. Additionally, in Satara, four establishments were inspected, resulting in the seizure of 5,948 kilograms valued at approximately ₹11.41 lakh. Lastly, in Kolhapur, four establishments were raided, leading to the confiscation of 18,156 kilograms worth around ₹29.03 lakh. During the inspections, various violations of food safety standards were discovered.These included questionable oil quality, lack of proper laboratory facilities and qualified chemists, reuse of used tins, shared pipelines for oil tanks, incorrect labeling and branding, as well as deficiencies in licensing and record-keeping. The FDA noted that there were indications of violations of several provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The department has warned food business operators to strictly adhere to the law, stating that severe action will be taken against those who violate regulations.Officials emphasized that the demand for food products tends to rise during festivals. To protect consumers from adulterated or low-quality food oils, the FDA will continue its special campaigns. The department also urged citizens to report any suspicious food products to the authorities.