Pune FDA raids Karachi sweet outlets, destroys 93 kg of sweets over safety concerns

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has destroyed 93 kg of sweets after inspecting two Karachi-branded sweet outlets in Pune, as the state steps up food safety checks against manufacturers and retailers.

The action was carried out on November 10 at Maa Karachi Sweets Mart and Shri Mohan Karachi Sweets Mart near Jambhulkar Chowk in the Wanowrie area of Pune. Officials found a stock of sweets suspected to be substandard or unsafe for consumption.

During the inspection, the FDA team recovered 18 kg of motichoor laddoos and 5 kg of barfi from Maa Karachi Sweets Mart. At Shri Mohan Karachi Sweets Mart, officials found 41 kg of motichoor boondi and 29 kg of barfi.

The total seized stock was valued at approximately Rs 50,860. The entire quantity was destroyed following due procedure, given the perishable nature of the products. Samples were also collected and sent for laboratory testing.

The food licences of both establishments have been suspended with immediate effect over alleged violations of food safety regulations. The action was conducted by the FDA’s Pune Circle-1 team under its ‘Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra’ campaign.

Maharashtra intensifies food safety crackdown

The Pune raids come amid a wider enforcement drive by the Maharashtra FDA, which has increased inspections of food manufacturing units, sweet shops, restaurants, dairy businesses and retail outlets.

Between September 1 and November 3, the department inspected 9,667 food establishments across the state. During this period, it seized 3,098.46 metric tonnes of food products valued at Rs 63.45 crore. The department also suspended 954 food licences and registrations, issued 4,603 improvement notices and collected 8,835 samples for laboratory analysis.

The special enforcement campaign around Diwali, between October 15 and November 3, saw 3,332 establishments inspected. The FDA suspended 326 licences and registrations and seized food products worth Rs 44.37 crore during this period.

The inspections have focused on suspected food adulteration, expired ingredients, unhygienic manufacturing conditions, improper storage and the use of unauthorised food colours.

Quick-commerce platforms and warehouses also under scrutiny

The crackdown has expanded beyond traditional food businesses. The FDA has also inspected quick-commerce warehouses, fulfilment centres and other food distribution facilities to check compliance with food safety standards.

In a further round of inspections on November 4 and 5, the department suspended 105 additional food business licences, including establishments linked to quick-commerce platforms such as Blinkit and Zepto. Seven establishments were directed to stop operations. Officials also seized 39,485 kg of food products valued at around Rs 1.35 crore.

The department has been examining issues such as poor hygiene, inadequate pest control, improper storage and failure to maintain mandatory food safety records.

The latest action against the two Karachi sweet outlets adds to the state’s ongoing efforts to tighten checks across the food supply chain. Laboratory findings from the Pune samples will establish whether the seized sweets failed to meet prescribed food safety standards.