Tukaram Mundhe, the head of the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), expressed profound disbelief regarding the significant scale of a food labelling fraud operation uncovered in Navi Mumbai. The operation revealed that a firm was allegedly altering the expiry dates and nutritional information on packaged food products intended for international markets. A collaborative effort between the FDA and the Turbhe police led to the discovery of chemicals used to erase original expiry dates and machinery designed for printing replacement labels.

Approximately Rs 75.21 lakh worth of goods were reportedly seized, and authorities have initiated actions against twelve individuals involved in the operation. Mundhe characterised the systematic nature of the activity as alarming and raised serious concerns regarding accountability throughout the food supply chain.

The seized products included popular brands such as Lay’s, Kurkure, Maggi noodles, Knorr soup, Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Thums Up, and Limca. Officials unearthed nutrition labels that had allegedly been altered to conform to foreign market requirements.

Details of the Operation

The raid was initiated following a tip-off received by the Crime Branch’s Central Cell regarding the erasure of original expiry dates on food items, which were then replaced with extended ones. On August 24, a team headed by Senior Inspector Ajay Shinde conducted a search of the premises, uncovering chemicals allegedly utilized to conceal the original expiry and manufacturing dates, alongside machines for printing and applying new labels.

Police documentation indicates that the original dates on the food packaging were either scratched out or completely erased before fresh information was printed. In addition to these findings, officials discovered packs of labels and equipment purportedly employed in the relabelling efforts.

Mundhe reiterated the systematic approach taken by the suspects, stating he was “absolutely shocked by the scale” of operations. The warehouse reportedly contained numerous products that were either expired or close to their expiry dates, with some items allegedly featuring deceitful future manufacturing dates.

Altered Nutritional Information and Ingredients

The investigation revealed that the fraud also extended to nutritional and ingredient labels, which had been manipulated to meet foreign market regulations. Amongst the items recovered were cartons of Nestle’s Maggi noodles, with one sample found displaying a counterfeit nutrition label indicating the product was a “Product of India.”

A packet of PepsiCo’s Kurkure was discovered to contain a bilingual English-French nutrition label, which had reportedly altered the quantity of cereal content and modified calorie information to align with overseas regulations. Nearly 5,000 cartons of well-known consumer products were found in the warehouse, including Lay’s, Kurkure, Maggi, Knorr soup, Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Thums Up, and Limca.

Authorities stated that all seized products were intended for export, although the specific destination countries remain unidentified. One of the replacement labels observed was printed in both English and French. The warehouse is allegedly managed by Sadhana Enterprises, which claimed to perform the work on behalf of 19 exporters.

Implications for Food Safety and Compliance

The investigation was conducted over several days with FDA assistance, resulting in necessary documentation and legal action against the twelve individuals implicated. Notably, the police case does not suggest any involvement of PepsiCo, Nestle, Coca-Cola, or Unilever in the alleged infractions. However, Mundhe underscored the necessity for enhanced accountability across the food supply chain, stating that companies must comply with regulations governing branding, packaging, and sales.

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