Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appears set to review its blanket ban on the sale of loose edible oil after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the regulator to frame a standard operating procedure (SOP) aimed at preventing adulteration without shutting down traditional businesses.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe initially said the statewide compliance order banning loose edible oil was non-negotiable, according to a Times of India report. The administration, however, withdrew the statement roughly an hour later.
The regulator had maintained that accepting demands from retailers to relax or withdraw the restrictions would be inappropriate from a food safety perspective, the report said. An official later said a meeting with the state government would be held to discuss an SOP, with a final decision expected after the talks.
Fadnavis intervened on Monday, August 24, four days after the FDA ordered edible oils and fats to be sold only in sealed, tamper-proof and properly labelled food-grade packaging.
The order triggered opposition from edible oil traders, who said the restrictions could threaten family-run businesses operating for generations. Several ministers also raised concerns at Monday's Cabinet meeting about the impact on traders and consumers, particularly in rural areas where packaged oil may not be readily available.
“We will direct the FDA to find a middle path by formulating an SOP that ensures the quality of edible oil and prevents adulteration, while also allowing traditional businesses to continue,” Fadnavis said after the meeting.
ALSO READ: 'Ensure Quality While Protecting Poor': Fadnavis Hints At Middle Path Over FDA's Loose Oil Ban
What Is The FDA's Order?
The FDA's August 20 order sought to address adulteration and traceability concerns by requiring details including the source, batch number, packaging date and expiry date.
The regulator said inspections had detected practices including the use of non-food-grade containers, relabelling and other food safety violations. The loose oil restrictions were part of a broader crackdown that also targeted the reuse of old containers and repeatedly heated frying oil.
ALSO READ: 'Cancer Risks': Tukaram Mundhe Bans Loose Edible Oil Sales, Warns Rs 10 Lakh Penalty, Life Term
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