31 October,2026 08:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Abhitash Singh
Every food business operator needs to establish a dedicated, locked quarantine enclosure to segregate expired and returned goods. Representation pic/iStock
In a groundbreaking regulatory intervention that marks a nationwide first, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has enforced a comprehensive, binding compliance order holding Food Business Operators (FBOs) legally accountable for the verifiable disposal of expired, damaged, and returned foods. Grounded directly in the constitutional mandate of Article 47 - which directs the state to raise nutrition levels and protect public health - the landmark order closes systemic loopholes that previously enabled discarded and rejected stock to re-enter retail markets.
Tukaram Mundhe, Maharashtra FDA commissioner
âUnverified disposals and illegal supply diversions will attract immediate business shutdowns and criminal prosecution.'
Ten
No. of major distribution centres raided
Rs 5Cr+
Total value of compromised food seizing
Disposal invoices not enough
Under the sweeping new compliance mandates issued pursuant to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, commercial entities can no longer claim proper disposal by merely producing basic invoices or commercial contracts. The order legally obligates every operator to establish a dedicated, locked quarantine enclosure within warehouse premises to segregate out-of-date and customer-returned goods.
PCP-approved disposal vendors
Disposals can now be conducted exclusively through Pollution Control Board (PCB)-approved disposal vendors. Furthermore, operators are mandated to maintain an unbroken, auditable chain of custody supported by independent verification, including weighbridge slips, vehicle tracking logs, e-way bills, and mandatory time-stamped video and photographic evidence capturing the physical destruction of the food items.
Compliance for dairy alternatives
The regulatory net also tightly covers vulnerable synthetic substitutes, establishing stringent compliance protocols for analogue paneer and dairy alternatives.
Major crackdown
The regulatory framework follows an extensive, coordinated fortnight-long enforcement sweep across Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Pune that busted a thriving nexus between major logistics hubs and sham disposal operators. FDA enforcement squads cracked down on ten major distribution centres, cold storage facilities, and supply facilities, seizing compromised food stocks worth over '5 crore ('5,00,14,040). The drive led to the immediate suspension of six operational licenses, formal suspension orders for two more, and two criminal FIRs against defaulting operators.
Manipulation of records
Investigators found blatant manipulation during the raids, including cases where consignors and consignees were identical entities, interstate destruction was falsely logged on single-day impossible routes, and spoiled goods were routed to non-existent agencies.
FBOs facing action...
The regulatory action hit several prominent corporate names and quick-commerce giants. License suspensions and police FIRs were slapped on Blinkit (Blink Commerce Pvt Ltd) in Bhiwandi and Cloudstore Retail in Padgha after inspectors uncovered thousands of expired units lacking valid disposal logs. Cold storage giant Sawla Foods in Turbhe faced immediate license suspension following the seizure of over 91,000 kg of expired and mislabeled dry fruits and spices worth Rs 4.12 crore. Zomato Hyperpure hubs in Bhiwandi and Ambarnath also had their licenses suspended over hygiene breaches and untraceable discard records.
