The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has seized more than 3,279 metric tonnes of food products valued at approximately ₹81.80 crore during a nationwide enforcement drive targeting food safety violations ahead of the festive season. The operation, conducted between September 1 and November 5 in coordination with State Food Safety Authorities, also led to the suspension of 1,133 licences, cancellation of 52 licences and the sealing of 314 establishments.
According to figures shared by the regulator in a series of posts on X, officials inspected 56,431 food establishments across States and Union Territories and issued 10,047 improvement notices to food business operators.
The seized products, which were found to be non-compliant with prescribed safety standards, included cooking oils, milk, paneer, sweets, ghee, bakery items, chocolates, ice cream, namkeen, packaged food and festive hampers.
The enforcement exercise also resulted in 410 prosecutions being initiated against establishments over violations.
More than 2,200 samples found non-compliant
As part of the inspections, food safety authorities collected 43,939 samples from establishments across the country. Laboratory analysis had been completed for 23,648 samples, of which 2,273 were found to be non-compliant with prescribed food safety standards.
The remaining samples were yet to be analysed when the regulator released the figures.
The FSSAI said the action was aimed at addressing substandard practices and improving compliance across the food sector.
“Through rigorous checks on over 56,000 food establishments, authorities took decisive action against substandard practices, issuing over 10,000 improvement notices and suspending more than 1,100 licences to maintain uncompromising safety standards,” it said.
The regulator added that it would continue coordinating with State Food Safety Authorities to ensure greater adherence to food safety requirements across the food ecosystem.
FSSAI intensifies action against food safety violations
The latest enforcement figures come amid a broader crackdown by the FSSAI this year, with the regulator stepping up investigations involving food businesses, eateries and e-commerce companies.
In one such case, the authority ordered an immediate halt to the sale of Nestle India's “Low Fat Dairy Whitener” after a sample collected from The Lalit hotel in Connaught Place, New Delhi, was declared “unsafe” and “substandard” by a food analyst's laboratory.
The FSSAI said the findings indicated non-compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. It issued a notice to Bharat Hotels Ltd, which operates the hotel, and provided the food business operator an opportunity to appeal against the laboratory report within the prescribed period.
Nestle India, however, disputed the findings, maintaining that the product was safe and complied with applicable regulations. The company argued that the laboratory assessment did not account for naturally occurring phosphorus in milk-based ingredients.
States asked to strengthen festive-season surveillance
Last month, the FSSAI directed food safety authorities across all States and Union Territories to intensify surveillance and enforcement ahead of the festive season.
The directive sought to prevent the circulation of adulterated, counterfeit and unsafe food products at a time when demand for sweets, dairy products and other festive food items typically rises.
The latest nationwide inspection figures underline the scale of enforcement undertaken during this period, with the regulator indicating that inspections and monitoring would continue to ensure food businesses comply with prescribed safety standards.