Food safety officials seize nearly 4800 kg of fake mawa in Maharashtra

Food and Drug Administration teams in Maharashtra seized over 4,765 kilograms of fake mawa near the Shahnur Miyan Dargah area in Sambhajinagar. Officials estimate the seized sweet product is worth 7.67 lakh rupees. Joint Commissioner Shrikant Karkade stated that the material was not pure khoya, but a mixture of palm oil, vanaspati and sugar. Manufacturers use this cheaper blend to trick customers into buying fake sweets. The department is issuing show-cause notices to both the suppliers and the buyers of this batch. Officials plan to increase checks at sweet shops across the city as festivals approach and warned of strict action against rule breakers. This raid follows recent FDA actions across the state, including inspections at the Nair Hospital canteen in Mumbai and Olympia Coffee House in Colaba. Authorities found severe hygiene issues at Olympia Coffee House, such as meat and blood residue in refrigerators, raw and cooked food mixed together, and insects. Licences of several businesses were also cancelled for breaking food safety rules, including Blink Commerce Private Limited in Chembur, Vishwas Sweets and Snacks and A-1 General and Dry Fruits in Ghatkopar, and Milan Punjab in Worli. Authorities suspended licences for four restaurants in Pune and two in Nagpur as well. During a separate Ganeshotsav drive, the FDA seized 2,813 kilograms of milk and dairy products worth over 7.38 lakh rupees.