Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Monday said the state has intensified action against adulterated and substandard milk products, stressing that milk and dairy items fall under the country's high-risk food categories and require stricter monitoring to protect public health.
Speaking on concerns over adulteration in milk products and food safety, Mundhe said milk, meat and fish products are among the food categories that carry higher public health risks and therefore demand greater regulatory oversight.
He said the Maharashtra FDA has adopted an end-to-end supply chain management approach for milk, covering every stage from village-level collection centres to processors, manufacturers and retail outlets. According to him, the department is monitoring critical control points across the supply chain to prevent substandard or unsafe milk from reaching consumers.
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Mundhe said the crackdown has led to the closure of several milk collection and chilling centres found violating standards. He added that substandard milk has been destroyed, while those found violating food safety norms have faced prosecution, with licences either suspended or cancelled.
The FDA Commissioner also raised concerns over analog paneer and analog cheese, saying these products are expected to meet prescribed milk product standards.
"But we have found in our cases almost 40% of the samples have been found to be unsafe and any extraneous matters have been found which are not good for the health. ," Mundhe said.
He warned that the FDA would take action not only against manufacturers producing substandard analog paneer and cheese but also against hotels and restaurants using such products if they fail to meet prescribed standards.
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Mundhe said strict enforcement of food safety regulations would improve compliance among food businesses and help ensure that safe and quality food reaches consumers, contributing to better public health.
