New Delhi: Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Wednesday said the FDA was putting a system in place to ensure food safety during the ensuing festive season, while urging citizens to avoid excessive consumption of high-fat, salty and sugary (HFSS) products.

Speaking at a 'Meet the Press' event organised by the Mumbai Press Club, Mundhe said the FDA had defined different stages for action before, during and after the festive season and that an order detailing the measures would be issued within a day or two.

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"We are putting the system in place for the festive season. Wait for a day or two; you will get that order. We are ensuring that nothing untoward happens. It is not about any particular festival, but more about only license holders should get to make and supply food," he noted.

Mundhe, who has received widespread accolades for strictly enforcing safety, quality standards, and hygiene regulations since taking charge in May, appealed to citizens to exercise restraint in their dietary choices during the festive period and opt for nutritious food.

"Even during the festive season, avoid HFSS -- high-fat, salty and sugary foods. Take them only in limited quantities. Don't overeat. It is not really good for you. You should enjoy your health," the 2005-batch IAS officer maintained.

On food sold in schools, he said regulations restricting HFSS products around educational institutions had been in place since 2020 and their implementation had begun across India in 2021.

"HFSS products have been restricted around schools. They cannot be sold, advertised, produced, transported or stored within the prescribed area," the FDA chief clarified.

Mundhe said schools had changed menus and the FDA had received hundreds of letters and emails welcoming the move.

"The larger issue is the health of children. We need to develop healthy and nutritious food habits among children. Such habits will support their physical, mental, intellectual and emotional growth," he stated.

Mundhe said the FDA was conducting inspections of suppliers involved in the midday meal programme, with testing of products being undertaken, and one licence had already been suspended.

He said the order on balanced diets in schools had already been issued and that some existing gaps had been addressed.

On food supplied to 'anganwadis' (child care centres) and schools, Mundhe said central kitchens supplying such food had also been inspected and samples collected.

"The order has now been issued across Maharashtra and the work is ongoing," he said, adding inspections would continue, with a minimum number of samples to be collected every month and schools and 'anganwadis' to be inspected at least twice a year.

Asked about food served as 'mahaprasad' (sweets) and at 'bhandaras' (free meal served to devotees) during the Ganesh festival, Mundhe insisted the issue was not about the nature or prestige of an event, but compliance with food safety regulations.

"It is not about 'mahaprasad', it is not about 'bhandaras'. It is about regulation," said the FDA chief.

Mundhe, under whom the FDA has launched a state-wide crackdown on safety and hygiene violations across restaurants and eateries, clarified every food business operator (FBO) was required to have registration or a licence and must comply with prescribed standards and protocols.

"Wherever there are food businesses without a licence, without standards or without following the required protocols, they are violating the regulations. Whether it is prestigious or not prestigious, it does not matter," said the bureaucrat.

The commissioner stressed that the FDA would apply the same standards to street food vendors, restaurants and hotels, including five-star establishments.

"Whether it is street food, a restaurant, a five-star hotel or a three-star hotel does not matter. I don't discriminate in any food serving establishments. We go as per the regulations and standards. The food has to be safe and the prescribed processes have to be followed," he emphasised.

Mundhe stated that the regulator's focus was on the safety of food, adherence to processes and quality of raw materials rather than the status of an establishment.

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"We do not decide whether street food is good or a five-star hotel is good. We go by the regulations and the standards," he opined.

The FDA chief insisted the same approach was followed for government and private establishments.

"It is not about government or private. From our perspective, it is an FBO -- a Food Business Operator. There is no category called government FBO and private FBO. An FBO is an FBO," Mundhe asserted.

He pointed out that more than 115 government and semi-government establishments had been inspected in the last few weeks and licences of 20 to 25 of them had been suspended for multiple violations.

On the quality of medicines, Mundhe said any doubt regarding the quantity claimed on a medicine strip could be verified through testing.

"Whatever is claimed on the medicine is expected to be there. If it says 5 mg, that quantity has to be present," he stated.

If the medicine failed to meet the prescribed standards, it could be classified as substandard, misbranded or spurious and action would follow, the IAS officer cautioned.

On generic medicines, Mundhe said their classification as generic or non-generic was not the FDA's criterion for enforcement.

"Generic medicines have the same formulations. There is no difference in efficacy simply because a medicine is generic," he said, adding that the regulator checked whether medicines met the required standards or were substandard/spurious.

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