To combat milk adulteration and safeguard public health, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has imposed stringent compliance requirements throughout Mumbai's whole milk supply chain on Friday.
FDA warned that violations such as adulteration, fraudulent claims, and illicit operations might result in fines of up to Rs 10 lakh.
According to FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, the department issued compliance orders for the whole milk and milk products ecosystem after combining several previous regulations into a single set of principles to guarantee consistent application throughout the industry, as reported by PTI.
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"Earlier, compliance orders were issued for hotels. Similarly, we have now issued orders for milk and milk products. Regulations applicable to the entire chain -- from farm to table -- have been compiled into compliance guidelines. These are not meant to ban any establishment but to ensure compliance with food safety standards. The orders have been issued today," Mundhe told reporters.
He stated that the FDA would impose the maximum allowable fine to serve as a deterrence for offences such as operating without registration or licenses, making false claims, producing deceptive ads, and adulterating milk, which could result in penalties of up to Rs 10 lakh.
According to Mundhe, all phases of the supply chain are covered by the new regulations, including milk collection facilities, cooling units, pasteurisation and homogenization facilities, ultra-high temperature treatment plants, packaging and filling stations, distributors, wholesalers, loose milk vendors, operators of automatic vending machines, producers of milk products, and retailers.
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The commissioner stated that the action came after discussions with milk manufacturers and producers, during which the FDA trained industry staff on food safety regulations and safety precautions.
Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) assessments must be completed by all establishments and updated on a regular basis in accordance with the compliance regulations. In addition to using readily cleaned equipment, storage tanks, and food-grade stainless steel utensils, license holders are also required to implement efficient pest control procedures.
He stated that the FDA had discovered that several hotels and restaurants had submitted phoney pest control certifications to deceive the department, alluding to previous actions taken against the hospitality industry.
With PTI inputs
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