FDA seize over Rs 32 L of mawa, ghee in 2 weeks

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have seized 10 tonnes of mawa worth Rs 22 lakh in just two weeks, and has also pulled up sweet shop owners who they fear are using aluminium foil rather than silver foil on sweets, which is harmful to human health.

Bittersweet: The FDA is seizing sweets and ingredients unfit for consumption from locations across the state.u00a0Representation pic

On November 9, MiD DAY reported about the FDA seizing adulterated ingredients in Kurla (‘FDA seizes mawa, kalakand worth over Rs 3.3 lakh'). Yesterday, a team of food safety officers seized 3,997 kg of mawa worth Rs 8 lakh from Bandra terminus and Bombay Central railway station. Most of the samples that were seized did not meet FDA standards. "The fat content in these samples was below the normal level, which is unfit for consumption. We have seized mawa worth Rs 22 lakh in the last two weeks," said Suresh Deshmukh, joint commissioner, food, FDA.

A senior FDA official told MiD DAY that the team has been seizing sweets that have silver foil, as they fear that many shops are using aluminium foil instead. They have also seized vanaspati ghee and edible oil worth Rs 10 lakh.

Since the raids began from October 26, the team has collected sweet samples sweets from more than 35 sweet shops in the state.u00a0