Holi 2026: Special anti-adulteration drive for festive foods in Pune after FSSAI order
In a communication dated February 19, 2026, FSSAI asked state food safety commissioners and regional directors to intensify inspections and sampling of sweets, snacks, edible oils, ghee, milk, and milk products during the festive period, citing a surge in demand and heightened risk of adulteration.
2 min readPuneFeb 27, 2026 12:53 PM IST
First published on: Feb 27, 2026 at 12:53 PM IST
Food safety officials in Pune have launched a special drive in local markets and sweet shops ahead of Holi to detect food adulteration.
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This development came after the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) directed all states and Union Territories, including Maharashtra, to carry out a special festive food safety drive to prevent adulteration of commonly consumed Holi food items.
In an official communication dated February 19, 2026, FSSAI has asked state food safety commissioners and regional directors to intensify inspections and sampling of sweets, snacks, edible oils, ghee, milk, and milk products during the festive period, citing a surge in demand and heightened risk of adulteration.
The directive notes that seasonal demand for items such as khoya, paneer, ghee, sweets, namkeen, papad, fryums, and edible oils often leads to economically motivated adulteration, posing serious public health risks and eroding consumer trust.
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As part of the ‘Holi Anti-Adulteration Drive – 2026’, food safety officers have been instructed to conduct targeted inspections at identified hotspots and sensitive locations, including markets with high festive footfall. The Authority has also advised the deployment of Food Safety on Wheels (FSW) units in prominent market areas wherever available, to facilitate on-the-spot testing and increase consumer awareness.
FSSAI has further mandated that inspection details, sampling data, and outcomes must be uploaded on the FoSCoS/FoSCoRIS portals by March 31, 2026, making compliance reporting compulsory.
The order, signed digitally by Dr Satyen Kumar Panda, Executive Director (CS) and Advisor (QA), FSSAI, has been marked as “Most Important”, underlining the urgency of enforcement during the festive season.
“Ahead of Holi, an anti-adulteration detection drive has been launched in the city, with food safety officials conducting area-wise inspections of sweet shops and dairy outlets,” said a senior Food and Drug Administration officer in Pune. “Samples of food items will be collected and tested, and necessary action will be taken wherever violations are found,” the officer added.
(Neha Rathod is an intern with The Indian Express)
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