Nagpur/Mumbai: Patanjali Ayurved has come under the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) scanner after the agency seized 2,279.7 litres of Patanjali cow ghee worth Rs 20.20 lakh from a super distributor in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on suspicion of misbranding and adulteration. The seizure, involving 4,032 units of ghee, has emerged as one of the significant actions in the FDA’s statewide festive-season crackdown, which saw food products worth Rs 9.01 crore confiscated from 114 establishments across seven divisions.
The seizure has put the spotlight on the quality and regulatory compliance of branded food products marketed on consumer trust, particularly during the festive season when demand for ghee, edible oils, sweets and other food commodities rises sharply.
The action was carried out at M/s Divya Mahavitarak, a super distributor of Patanjali Ayurved in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The confiscated stock comprised 2,998 units containing 1,349.1 litres valued at Rs 12.29 lakh and another 1,034 units containing 930.6 litres worth Rs 7.91 lakh. According to the FDA, the products were prima facie found to be in violation of provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The allegations of misbranding and adulteration remain subject to regulatory examination and further proceedings. Nevertheless, the seizure raises serious questions about the quality-control mechanisms governing the distribution of food products and the safeguards available to consumers against potentially non-compliant stock.
Rs 9 crore food seizure across Maharashtra
The Patanjali ghee seizure was part of a massive statewide enforcement operation in which the FDA confiscated approximately 3.53 lakh kg of food articles from 114 establishments. The total value of seized commodities was estimated at Rs 9.01 crore.
The campaign also resulted in the suspension of licences and registrations of 19 food business operators, including namkeen, sweetmeat and spice manufacturing establishments in Mumbai, Amravati and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar divisions.
These establishments were allegedly operating with serious hygiene deficiencies, including improper storage of food products, inadequate pest-control arrangements, unhygienic premises, missing cleaning records and failure to maintain mandatory documentation. The FDA said the violations constituted breaches of prescribed food safety requirements.
Nagpur establishments also face scrutiny
Nagpur figured in the FDA’s festive-season inspection drive, with 34 hotels, restaurants and dhabas inspected across the Nagpur, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar divisions. The inspections resulted in 29 improvement notices being issued to establishments over deficiencies in food safety and hygiene.
The notices underline the continuing regulatory challenge of ensuring safe food practices in commercial kitchens and eateries, particularly during periods of heightened consumption.
However, the FDA statement did not specify the individual Nagpur establishments covered by these inspections or disclose whether any Patanjali products were seized in the Nagpur division. The Patanjali cow ghee seizure reported in the operation was specifically from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Between October 28 and 31, the FDA seized banned food articles worth Rs 79.40 lakh from 17 establishments. The enforcement operation also led to 13 FIRs, 16 arrests, sealing of seven establishments and seizure of six vehicles.
Other major seizures included 1,44,218 kg of edible oil from Avenue Supermarts Ltd in Bhiwandi, Thane district, and 20,560 kg of rice, pulses, jaggery and other food articles from Amin Traders in Satara. Edible oil was also confiscated from Swati Oil Mills in Satara and S G Traders in Solapur.
The scale of the crackdown reflects the FDA’s intensified efforts to prevent adulteration, illegal sale of food articles and violations of mandatory safety standards during the festive period.
Consumer trust versus food safety compliance
The Patanjali ghee seizure is particularly significant because it involves a nationally recognised consumer brand whose products enjoy substantial market visibility. While the FDA has alleged suspected misbranding and adulteration in the seized stock, the findings will require due regulatory process before any definitive conclusion can be drawn regarding the product’s compliance.
For consumers in Nagpur and elsewhere in Maharashtra, the episode serves as a reminder that even widely marketed food products are subject to scrutiny and that branding alone cannot substitute for regulatory verification.
The FDA has reiterated that enforcement action is being undertaken under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules framed under it, with the objective of ensuring that food products reaching consumers meet prescribed safety and quality requirements.
The statewide crackdown has sent a strong warning to food businesses: consumer trust, festive demand and brand reputation cannot be allowed to override food safety obligations.
