Mumbai: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized unsafe milk and dairy products worth ₹5.4 crore during a three-month statewide enforcement drive conducted between June and August 2026. The action formed part of a broader food-safety campaign covering thousands of establishments across Maharashtra.
During the enforcement period, the FDA inspected 9,485 establishments involved in milk, dairy products and other food categories. The regulator issued 4,321 improvement notices and suspended 404 licences as part of its enforcement measures.
The action highlights the regulatory focus on food safety and compliance across Maharashtra’s large and diverse food supply chain, particularly amid concerns surrounding unsafe and prohibited food products.
₹67.20 Crore Worth of Food Stock Seized
The total value of food stock seized during the three-month drive stood at ₹67.20 crore. Milk and dairy products accounted for ₹5.4 crore of the seized stock.
Other food products worth ₹42.17 crore were confiscated, while prohibited products valued at ₹19.62 crore were also seized.
| Category | Value Seized |
|---|---|
| Milk and dairy products | ₹5.4 crore |
| Other food items | ₹42.17 crore |
| Prohibited products | ₹19.62 crore |
| Total | ₹67.20 crore |
The dairy-related seizures covered products falling under the broader food-safety enforcement campaign. However, the FDA did not provide a separate division-wise breakdown specifically for milk and dairy operators.
Pune Records Highest Number of Inspections
Among Maharashtra’s administrative divisions, Pune recorded the highest number of inspections, with 4,261 establishments inspected during the campaign.
Konkan followed with 3,142 inspections, while Greater Mumbai recorded 1,451. Nashik accounted for 1,356 inspections, followed by Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar with 1,173, Amravati with 989 and Nagpur with 711.
The figures demonstrate the scale of the statewide enforcement effort, although they cover multiple food categories rather than only dairy businesses.
Action Against Prohibited Products
The enforcement drive also focused heavily on prohibited products. Maharashtra has banned the manufacture, sale, distribution and transportation of pan masala, gutkha, scented tobacco and similar products since July 13.
During the campaign, the FDA confiscated prohibited products worth ₹19.62 crore from 795 establishments. Authorities filed 644 FIRs, arrested 867 people, sealed 483 establishments and seized 110 vehicles in connection with enforcement action.
The figures indicate that the campaign extended beyond routine food inspections to include significant action against businesses involved in prohibited-product violations.
Broad Food Safety Enforcement
In addition to milk and dairy products, the FDA’s inspections covered a wide range of food categories. These included edible oils, mangoes, sweets, khoya, bakery products, candy, jaggery, ghee, dates, ice cream and kulfi, frozen desserts, spices, betel nut and toddy.
The enforcement campaign therefore represents a broader effort to strengthen compliance across Maharashtra’s food sector.
For the dairy industry, the seizure of ₹5.4 crore worth of milk and dairy products underlines the importance of maintaining food-safety standards across procurement, processing, transportation, storage and retail.
While the FDA has not disclosed how much of the dairy-related stock was linked to specific violations or individual dairy categories, the enforcement action sends a strong compliance signal to operators across the sector.
The Maharashtra FDA’s three-month drive demonstrates the growing importance of regulatory oversight in ensuring that food products reaching consumers meet required safety and quality standards.