The crackdown on adulterated food items is intensifying across India, with growing concerns over the use of harmful chemicals in dairy products, fruits, and other consumables. Incidents of vendors selling vanaspati as pure ghee and using toxic substances to ripen fruits have prompted authorities to take strict action.
According to data from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which functions under the Union Health Ministry, over 2 lakh food samples collected between 2019 and 2024-25 have failed to meet safety standards. Among these, 35,850 samples were categorized as “unsafe”, meaning they could pose serious health risks such as cancer, liver damage, kidney failure, and heart disease.
Experts have linked the rise in such illnesses partly to the consumption of adulterated food. In response, FSSAI has directed all state food safety commissioners and regional directors to intensify surveillance in fruit markets and wholesale mandis.
In the last five years, authorities tested approximately 16.18 lakh food samples. Of these, 2,03,098 samples failed to comply with the required standards. The violations fall into three key categories:
- Unsafe: Over 35,000 samples contained dangerous chemicals or harmful adulterants.
- Sub-Standard: Around 1,12,317 samples did not meet all quality benchmarks.
- Labeling Defects: More than 53,000 samples were found to be mislabeled or sold with misleading information.
The year 2024-25 witnessed the highest number of tests so far, with 6.22 lakh samples analyzed. Among these, 7,853 were found unsafe. In comparison, 4.47 lakh samples were tested in 2023, out of which 33,808 failed quality checks and 6,782 were unsafe.
Between 2019 and 2023, authorities successfully prosecuted 1.09 lakh cases of food safety violations and collected penalties amounting to ₹268.44 crore.
The FSSAI has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of food items across the country and has called for stricter enforcement at local levels to curb the menace of adulteration.
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