3 min learnUp to date: Aug 25, 2026 08:15 PM IST
Whereas the Maharashtra meals security physique continues its crackdown towards non-compliance of meals security guidelines, with it just lately asserting a blanket ban on unfastened oil, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, August 24, stepped in to evaluation its current order, directing it to first body a regular working process (SOP) that may curb adulteration.
Devendra Fadnavis’ intervention within the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) crackdown got here 4 days after the meals security physique ordered edible oil and fats be sold solely in sealed, tamper-proof and correctly labelled food-grade packaging.
The transfer triggered sturdy opposition from edible oil merchants, a lot of whom mentioned the restrictions would threaten family-run companies which have operated for generations.
At Monday’s Cupboard assembly, a number of ministers raised considerations over the influence of the FDA order on merchants and shoppers, notably in rural areas the place packaged edible oil just isn’t available.
After the assembly, Devendra Fadnavis directed the Tukaram Mundhe-led meals security physique to work out a “center path” with the companies it has banned to make sure authentic companies proceed to function whereas additionally taking good care of meals security.
“We’ll direct the FDA to discover a center path by formulating an SOP that ensures the standard of edible oil and prevents adulteration, whereas additionally permitting conventional companies to proceed. The target is to make sure that unfastened oil is free from adulteration with out forcing these companies to close down,” Fadnavis mentioned after the Cupboard assembly.
The FDA’s August 20 order had sought to remove the dangers related to unfastened oil by mandating sealed packaging with particulars together with the supply and expiry date. The motion adopted inspections that flagged adulteration, use of non-food-grade containers, relabelling and different violations.
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The order banned the sale of unfastened or unpackaged edible oil, making sealed, tamper-evident and correctly labelled packaging obligatory throughout the provision chain.
The transfer was aimed toward tackling adulteration and traceability gaps, with the regulator flagging the absence of particulars such because the supply, batch quantity and packaging date in unfastened oil.
The order got here as a part of a wider crackdown on adulteration, reuse of outdated and non-food-grade containers and repeatedly heated frying oil. Nevertheless, the blanket ban confronted sturdy opposition from edible oil merchants.
