The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported a significant rise in its testing and sample collection activities following Tukaram Mundhe’s appointment as commissioner. In the three months since he assumed office, the department has increased its monthly sample-collection rate by 300 per cent compared to the previous year, specifically the financial period of 2025-26.

Between June and August 2026, the FDA collected a total of 37,604 samples, comprising 34,584 food samples and 3,020 drug and cosmetics samples. The department tested 32,604 samples during this time frame, with 15,268 of those failing to meet the required standards.

On Thursday, the FDA stated its collection rate for samples has increased threefold, while the testing rate has surged fourfold compared to the last financial year. Following his appointment in May, Mundhe initiated a special inspection campaign throughout Maharashtra to bolster regulatory measures.

Detailed Results of Sample Testing

During this three-month period, the FDA reported it successfully completed testing of 30,492 food samples and 2,112 drug and cosmetics samples. Out of these, 15,160 food samples and 108 drug and cosmetics samples were classified as “not of standard quality.”

Among the drug and cosmetics samples tested, 2,004 met the established quality standards. The FDA further identified eight samples as spurious, 93 samples as “not of standard quality,” and seven samples with improper labelling. These findings highlight the need for continued scrutiny within the sector.

In terms of performance metrics, the FDA observed a notable average increase of 340 per cent in the number of food samples collected for testing when compared to 2025-26. Furthermore, the number of food samples tested surged by 435 per cent. For drug and cosmetics samples, the collection increased by an average of 175 per cent, while testing rose by 165 per cent.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Financial Year

Throughout the entire financial year of 2025-26, the FDA collected a total of 47,600 food, drug, and cosmetics samples and completed testing of 33,119 samples. During that time, the department averaged 3,967 samples collected and 2,760 samples tested per month.

In contrast, between June and August 2026, the FDA’s monthly averages showed substantial improvement, with an average of 12,534 samples collected and 10,868 samples tested each month. This indicates a sharp upward trend in the department’s operational efficiency and capacity.

To facilitate its work, the FDA operates three laboratories for drug testing and three for food testing located in Mumbai, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Nagpur. Additionally, it sends food samples to the State Public Health Laboratory in Pune for further analysis, contributing to an extensive framework of quality assurance.

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