FOOD SAFETY LAPSES CAUSING ‘PUBLIC HEALTH HAVOC’, WARNS MAHARASHTRA FDA CHIEF

September 26, 2026

AHMEDABAD: Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has warned that inadequate compliance with food-safety regulations is contributing to a serious public-health problem in India. Speaking at an event at Karnavati University in Ahmedabad, Mundhe said existing laws and regulations were not being adequately enforced or followed.

Mundhe said food-related health risks were often viewed separately from broader patterns of illness, despite the possible relationship between diet and disease. He pointed to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension and cardiac disorders, while stressing that food safety required greater public awareness.

He said food-safety standards needed to be followed not only by restaurants and other food businesses but also by households. According to Mundhe, consumers, food-business operators and regulatory authorities all have responsibilities in maintaining food safety and ensuring compliance with prescribed standards.

The remarks come amid intensified enforcement by the Maharashtra FDA. Recent reporting said the department had inspected nearly 12,000 food establishments during its first 100 days under Mundhe, with thousands receiving improvement notices and hundreds of licences suspended for regulatory violations.