The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed state food commissioners to intensify surveillance and enforcement measures to prevent the sale of adulterated, counterfeit and unsafe food products during the upcoming Navratri and Diwali festivals. In an advisory dated September 29, the regulator called for increased vigilance, particularly in sensitive locations, to safeguard public health amid rising seasonal demand.
FSSAI highlighted key food categories requiring heightened monitoring, including milk and milk products, sweets, snacks and savouries, namkeen, papad, fryums, edible oils, beverages and ghee. State authorities have been asked to conduct inspections and collect food samples across their respective jurisdictions during the festive period.
The regulator also advised states to strategically deploy Food Safety on Wheels mobile testing units, wherever available, in prominent marketplaces or at locations identified through intelligence inputs. These units will facilitate on-the-spot food testing, strengthen enforcement, raise consumer awareness and promote confidence in the safety and quality of food products.
The advisory forms part of FSSAI’s broader efforts to strengthen food safety enforcement. Over the past six months, the regulator has stepped up action against food business operators and e-commerce companies to curb food safety violations.
