The Pune division of the Food and Drug Administration seized 3,196.2 kg of sweets, dairy products, snacks and other food items worth Rs 16.93 lakh during inspections across five cities ahead of Diwali, while suspending eight licences and ordering three businesses to stop operating.
The inspections were conducted on November 3 in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Solapur, Sangli and Kolhapur under the “Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra” campaign led by FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. The teams targeted sweet shops, dairies, bakeries and dry-fruit traders as demand for festive food increased.
Of the total stock seized, 1,440.5 kg worth Rs 4.35 lakh was destroyed at the establishments where it was found. The FDA cited suspected poor quality, unhygienic preparation conditions, improper storage and handling, incorrect labelling, expired ingredients and missing licences among the reasons for action.
Ten establishments in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad were inspected. Janata Sweets in Keshav Nagar, Mundhwa, received a closure notice for operating without a valid FSSAI licence or registration. At Karachi Sweet Mart in Camp, officials seized and destroyed 186 kg of motichoor laddoos, khoya and malai peda worth Rs 90,780 after identifying gaps in food-colour records, poor khoya storage and handling, expired ingredients and breaches of Schedule 4 requirements.
Shri Ganesh Laduwale in Shikrapur was found operating without a licence. The FDA seized and destroyed 605 kg of Mysore pak and laddoos worth Rs 1.22 lakh from the unit, citing unhygienic conditions. At Chamunda Maa Rabdiwala in Mulshi, 486 kg of malai rabdi and anguri rasgulla was seized.
The action also covered Rajmilan Sweets in Manchar, where 250 kg of meetha mawa worth Rs 80,000 was seized and destroyed as suspected substandard stock. At Bikaner Mithaiwale in Mohammadwadi, 268 kg of barfi worth Rs 88,440 was seized and destroyed over improper storage and handling.
The FDA seized 104.7 kg of dairy products from New Quality Dairy Farm in Shivajinagar, 92.5 kg of sweets and snacks from Bhail Sweets in Pimple Saudagar, and 58 kg of kalakand from Pournima Sweets in Wanowrie. The Wanowrie establishment was also issued a closure notice for operating without a licence or registration. Puneeri Sweets in Kalewadi had 35 kg of suspected substandard kalakand worth Rs 19,600 destroyed.
The highest-value single seizure took place in Sangli, where officials confiscated 749 kg of almonds worth Rs 8.98 lakh from Ashish Traders at Vasantdada Market Yard. The FDA suspected that the nuts were of poor quality and incorrectly labelled. Additional seizures of sweets, cashews and other food products were reported from businesses in Solapur and Kolhapur.
The FDA has asked food businesses to obtain valid licences and registrations, maintain clean premises, store and handle food properly, and comply with food safety and labelling requirements. The inspections form part of the department’s festive-season enforcement campaign across Pune division.
