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India's food safety challenges extend far beyond unhygienic kitchens and visibly contaminated food. From adulterated everyday staples to unsafe storage, chemical residues and untraceable suppliers, several risks can remain hidden until they affect consumers.

In an article marking World Food Day 2026, Maharashtra Commissioner of Food Safety Tukaram Mundhe highlights why India needs stronger accountability throughout the food supply chain. His central argument is that food safety must move beyond temporary corrective measures towards a transparent system that can trace food from its source to the consumer's plate.

The World Food Day 2026 theme, "Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow", provides an opportunity to examine how better records, practical technology, stronger inspections and responsible food handling can improve public health.

Why Food Traceability Matters in India

A significant portion of India's food supply moves through informal and semi-formal channels. These include loose milk, spices, edible oils, fruits, vegetables and traditional sweets.

When a product is found to be contaminated or fails a safety test, identifying its origin can take considerable time. By the time investigators locate the source, the affected batch may already have reached numerous shops and households.

According to figures cited in the original report, more than 1.7 lakh food samples were analysed nationally during 2024-25. Of these, 34,388 samples did not conform to the prescribed standards.

These findings highlight an important challenge: detecting a problem is only the beginning. Authorities must also be able to identify the affected batch, locate the businesses involved and prevent further distribution.

One proposed solution is to connect food business licences with purchase invoices, batch numbers and dispatch records. Simple digital record-keeping systems could allow even small traders to document where products came from and where they were sent.

Effective traceability would help authorities isolate a specific batch instead of unnecessarily removing all products from a business. It could also help responsible businesses demonstrate the quality and origin of their supplies.

Affordable Food Must Also Be Safe

Food affordability and food safety should not be treated as competing priorities. Food that is inexpensive but unsafe can create much greater costs later through medical expenses, lost working days, poor nutrition and reduced public confidence.

The report cites estimates from the World Health Organization indicating that unsafe food causes approximately 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths globally each year. Children under five carry a particularly heavy burden of foodborne illness.

India also faces a substantial challenge. The figures cited in the article attribute approximately 10 crore cases of foodborne illness annually to estimates by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), with significant economic costs and a projected increase in cases by 2030.

The World Bank has also estimated that unsafe food imposes a considerable financial burden on low- and middle-income countries through healthcare expenses and lost productivity.

These figures underline why food safety should be considered an essential part of food security rather than an optional additional measure.

Five Priorities for Improving Food Safety

1. Support Small Food Businesses

Small vendors, roadside eateries, sweet shops and local dairies play an important role in India's food economy. Some struggle to meet safety requirements because they lack access to training, clean water, suitable refrigeration or the resources needed to improve their facilities.

Programmes such as FSSAI's Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC), Clean Street Food Hub and Eat Right India initiatives can help businesses improve their practices.

The improvement notice mechanism under Section 32 of the Food Safety and Standards Act also provides a framework for correcting identified deficiencies. Enforcement must protect consumers while giving businesses a fair opportunity to comply wherever the law permits.

2. Strengthen Safety in Public Meal Programmes

Government-supported meal programmes serve children and other vulnerable groups. These include PM POSHAN school meals, anganwadi nutrition programmes, tribal residential schools and hostel canteens.

People receiving these meals may have little control over the suppliers or preparation conditions. Consequently, the kitchens, caterers and suppliers involved must be subject to appropriate licensing, inspection and food testing.

Initiatives such as Eat Right School and Eat Right Campus can also help build awareness and establish better food safety practices in educational institutions.

3. Redistribute Surplus Food Responsibly

Reducing food waste is important, but surplus food must remain safe throughout collection, storage, transportation and distribution.

The original report cites the United Nations Environment Programme's Food Waste Index 2024, which estimates that Indian households waste approximately 55 kilograms of food per person annually.

The Food Safety and Standards (Recovery and Distribution of Surplus Food) Regulations, 2019, provide a framework for the safe recovery and distribution of surplus food through registered organisations.

Food donation efforts can support communities in need, but proper handling, storage and distribution procedures are essential to prevent foodborne illness.

4. Expand Food Testing Facilities

Accessible testing can help identify unsafe products before they reach more consumers. Mobile laboratories such as Food Safety on Wheels, rapid testing kits and stronger state laboratory networks can bring testing closer to local markets and food businesses.

More accessible testing can also improve awareness among vendors and consumers about food quality and the importance of following safety standards.

5. Remove Unsafe Food Without Delay

Education and guidance are important, but they cannot replace decisive action when food presents a safety risk.

Products identified as unsafe must be dealt with promptly under the applicable law. Protecting consumers requires authorities to act against unsafe food regardless of its price or intended market.

The Hidden Dangers Consumers Cannot See

Dirty kitchens and visible pests often attract public attention because the problem is easy to recognise. However, some of the most serious food safety risks cannot be identified by looking at a product, smelling it or tasting it.

Laboratory analysis may be required to detect chemical contamination, excessive residues or certain forms of adulteration. Investigating these problems can also be difficult when the businesses involved operate across multiple districts or states.

The article identifies three major areas of concern.

Organised Adulteration of Everyday Foods

Milk, paneer, khoya, ghee, edible oils and spices are common ingredients in Indian households. Adulteration involving these products can expose large numbers of consumers before the source is identified.

The report cites provisional figures for 2025-26 showing that 14,668 of 39,351 milk and dairy samples tested nationally did not conform to the applicable standards.

However, a non-conforming result does not automatically mean that a sample was unsafe. Some samples may have failed quality parameters, including fat or solids-not-fat levels. The nature of each failure must be assessed before drawing conclusions about health risks.

Even so, the reported figures underline the importance of regular testing, reliable supplier records and investigations into suspected organised adulteration.

Unsafe Artificial Ripening of Fruits

Consumers may find it difficult to determine how fruit has been ripened simply by examining its appearance.

The use of calcium carbide for fruit ripening is prohibited under the applicable food safety regulations. However, the report notes that prohibited practices can persist and that permitted ripening agents may also be misused.

Effective market surveillance, appropriate testing and enforcement are therefore important to ensure that fruit is handled according to the prescribed requirements.

Pesticide Residues, Antibiotics and Other Contaminants

Food may also contain pesticide residues, antibiotic residues or naturally occurring toxins when production, treatment or storage practices are inadequate.

Aflatoxins, for example, can develop in certain grains and nuts under unsuitable storage conditions. The applicable regulations establish limits for contaminants, toxins and residues in food.

Some exposures may not cause immediate symptoms. Depending on the substance and the level and duration of exposure, the consequences may emerge over time.

Antimicrobial resistance is another major public health concern. The misuse and overuse of antimicrobial medicines are important drivers of resistance, while antibiotic residues in food require appropriate monitoring and regulatory control.

These risks demonstrate why food safety cannot rely on visual inspections alone. Laboratory capacity, reliable sampling and investigations based on evidence are essential.

How Maharashtra Is Tackling Food Adulteration

According to Tukaram Mundhe's article, Maharashtra is strengthening laboratory capacity and conducting surveillance-based sampling to identify high-risk food products.

The state also conducts focused enforcement drives, particularly around festivals when demand for products such as sweets, milk-based foods and edible oils can rise significantly.

Coordination with police authorities, other states and FSSAI helps investigators pursue suspected adulteration networks beyond the location where a product was first discovered.

The approach reflects the importance of investigating the source of a problem rather than focusing exclusively on the shop where the affected product was found.

Eating Out: Food Safety Goes Beyond Kitchen Hygiene

A clean dining area is reassuring, but food safety depends on every stage of the process, starting with the purchase of ingredients and ending with the delivery of the meal.

Untraceable Ingredients

Restaurants may purchase loose ingredients without proper invoices or from suppliers whose licensing status has not been established.

If paneer, khoya, edible oil or another ingredient is adulterated before it reaches the kitchen, good cooking practices alone cannot guarantee that the final dish is safe.

Purchase invoices, supplier details and batch information are therefore important parts of food safety management.

Incorrect Storage and Unsafe Water

Dairy products, meat and seafood require appropriate storage and temperature control during transportation and while kept in kitchens.

Inadequate refrigeration can allow harmful microorganisms to multiply. Untested water and ice used in food preparation and beverages can also introduce contamination.

Businesses should maintain suitable storage conditions and ensure that water and ice used for consumption meet applicable safety requirements.

Repeated Reuse of Cooking Oil

Repeated heating and reuse can degrade cooking oil and lead to the formation of undesirable compounds.

FSSAI's requirements specify a limit of 25% Total Polar Compounds, beyond which the oil must not be used for cooking.

The Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) initiative encourages the collection of used cooking oil for suitable non-food uses, including biodiesel production, instead of allowing it to re-enter the food supply chain.

Temperature Control and Cross-Contamination

Cooked food left at room temperature for extended periods can create conditions that support bacterial growth. Overloaded or malfunctioning refrigerators can also compromise food storage.

Cross-contamination may occur when raw and cooked foods share chopping boards, knives, storage areas or other equipment without adequate cleaning.

Food handlers require appropriate training and must follow hygiene practices. The applicable licensing regulations also prescribe requirements relating to food handler training and medical fitness.

Food Delivery and Packaging Risks

Online delivery and cloud kitchens add further stages between preparation and consumption. Food safety responsibilities therefore extend to handling, packaging and transportation.

Food businesses must follow applicable licensing requirements, while delivery packaging should be suitable for contact with food. Using unsuitable materials for hot meals or wrapping food in newspaper can create contamination concerns.

Undeclared allergens are another serious issue because consumers with allergies may face significant health risks if ingredient information is incomplete or inaccurate.

Initiatives such as FSSAI's Hygiene Rating and Eat Right Station encourage improved standards and greater transparency. However, genuine food safety depends on practices throughout the supply chain, not just the appearance of a restaurant.

How Food Authorities Trace Adulterated Products

The article describes how Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration follows records and laboratory evidence to investigate suspected adulteration.

Step 1: Examine Product Details

Labels can provide important information, including the manufacturer's name, batch or lot number, manufacturing date and FSSAI licence number.

Authorities can use the Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) to help establish licensing details and identify the relevant business or regulatory authority.

Step 2: Follow Purchase and Sales Records

Investigators can examine a retailer's purchase invoice to identify the distributor or wholesaler. They can then review the distributor's records to trace the product further back to the manufacturer or packer.

Manufacturing, raw-material and dispatch records may help establish where ingredients originated and where products from the same batch were distributed.

This process shows why proper documentation is important even for businesses that operate on a relatively small scale.

Step 3: Test Samples in Laboratories

Food samples are collected according to the applicable statutory procedures and sent for laboratory analysis.

The findings help establish whether the product is unsafe, substandard or misbranded. The classification of the violation influences the regulatory action that may follow.

The supplied report states that 31,407 legal cases were initiated nationally in 2024-25 on the basis of non-conforming food samples.

Step 4: Take Appropriate Enforcement Action

Where the legal requirements are met, authorities may seize suspect stock, require corrective action or take other measures permitted under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Section 28 and the Food Safety and Standards (Food Recall Procedure) Regulations, 2017, establish requirements relating to the recall of unsafe food by food business operators.

Depending on the circumstances, licences may also be suspended and other statutory action may be taken.

Step 5: Establish Responsibility Across the Supply Chain

Section 27 of the Food Safety and Standards Act addresses the responsibilities of manufacturers, distributors and sellers in the circumstances covered by the law.

Investigators examine the available records and evidence to establish where a violation occurred and which parties may be responsible. A valid supplier warranty and supporting documentation may be relevant in determining responsibility in particular circumstances.

When products move between districts or states, coordination among the relevant authorities becomes important. Cases involving suspected deliberate or organised adulteration may also require police involvement and investigation under other applicable laws.

The ultimate objective is to identify the source, prevent further exposure and ensure that the parties responsible are dealt with under the law.

What Consumers Often Underestimate

One of the most common misconceptions is that food must be safe if it looks fresh, smells normal and does not cause immediate illness.

Appearance is not a reliable test for chemical contamination or adulteration. Attractive colours, glossy fruit and a pleasant smell cannot establish that a product meets food safety standards.

Consumers should also be cautious about products sold at prices that appear unusually low. A very low price for milk, paneer, ghee, khoya or edible oil may justify checking the seller and the product's origin more carefully.

Check Labels and Expiry Information

Consumers should read product labels and check the FSSAI licence details, manufacturing information, expiry or use-by date, and storage instructions where applicable.

Words such as "fresh", "natural", "pure" and "desi" should not be treated as automatic proof that a product is safe.

Consumers should also pay attention to allergen declarations and follow storage instructions after purchasing packaged food.

Follow Safe Food Handling at Home

Food safety does not end at the shop. Inadequate refrigeration, poor handling of leftovers, repeated reheating and inappropriate reuse of cooking oil can create risks in household kitchens.

Consumers should also be careful about beverages, juices and ice prepared using water of uncertain quality, particularly during periods when waterborne illness is a concern.

Report Suspected Food Safety Problems

If a product appears suspicious, consumers should retain its packaging and purchase bill when possible and note any available batch information.

Complaints can be submitted through FSSAI's Food Safety Connect platform or to the relevant food safety authority. Specific information about the product, seller and purchase can help authorities investigate the issue.

Informed consumers can play an important role in identifying risks and supporting the work of regulators.

Conclusion: Food Safety Requires Shared Responsibility

India's food safety challenge cannot be solved through occasional inspections or by focusing only on visible problems in restaurant kitchens.

Reliable supplier records, traceable batches, accessible laboratory testing, responsible food handling and effective enforcement are all important parts of a stronger system.

Small businesses need practical support to comply with safety requirements, while deliberate adulteration and the sale of unsafe food require appropriate action under the law. Consumers also have a role to play by checking labels, purchasing responsibly and reporting suspected violations.

As highlighted by Maharashtra Commissioner of Food Safety Tukaram Mundhe, improving food safety means looking at the entire journey of food, from its origin to the plate. A transparent and accountable supply chain can help protect public health and build greater confidence in the food people consume every day.

About the author: Tukaram Mundhe is identified in the supplied source as Maharashtra's Commissioner of Food Safety. This article is a rewritten summary of the views and information presented in the source report.

Editorial note: Statistics, estimates, regulatory references and programme details in this article are based on the supplied report. Figures and current legal requirements should be independently verified against official sources before publication.

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