Maharashtra FDA Issues Statewide Order to Stop Sale of Expired and Damaged Food Products
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a statewide compliance order to prevent expired, damaged and rejected food products from re-entering the market and food supply chain.
The order, titled Maharashtra Expired, Damaged and Rejected Food Handling and Disposal Compliance Order, 2026, was issued under Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Announcing the order on Friday, FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said Maharashtra is the first state in India to introduce such a compliance order. It applies to warehouses, fulfilment centres, dark stores, depots, cold storage facilities and distributors, covering the entire supply chain from godown owners to retailers and e-commerce platforms.
Under the new order, warehouses will be required to store expired and rejected food stock under CCTV surveillance. Food business operators must follow prescribed operational guidelines to ensure that expired, damaged, returned or rejected food products are properly disposed of and not circulated again for sale or consumption. (Pune News)
The decision follows investigations conducted by the FDA over the last two months at 10 major warehouse locations across Maharashtra. The department uncovered a network involved in bringing expired food products back into the market for sale.
Between June and October 2026, the FDA seized food stock worth more than Rs 5 crore from 10 locations across the state. The largest seizure, involving goods worth Rs 4.12 crore, was made at Turbhe in Navi Mumbai. The enforcement action also resulted in licence suspensions and the filing of First Information Reports (FIRs).
Mundhe said that although regulations governing the handling and disposal of such food products already exist, strict implementation is necessary to prevent unsafe products from reaching consumers.
The FDA has been introducing sector-specific compliance orders to clarify the responsibilities of food business operators, regulatory officers and the consequences of non-compliance. Around 15 such orders have been issued so far, covering sectors including hotels and restaurants, milk and milk products, edible oils, spices and paneer analogues.
The department has warned that implementation of the latest order will be strict, with food businesses across Maharashtra required to ensure that expired, damaged and rejected food products are not reintroduced into the food chain. (Pune News)
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