📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / N. Vivekananthamoorthy
Food
Maharashtra FDA bans loose spice powder sales to curb adulteration
✍️ Mid-Day
🗓 16 Oct 2026, 06:16 AM
👁 12
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration issued an order prohibiting the sale of loose spice powders, aiming to tackle widespread adulteration in the state’s spice market.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a new directive that bans the retail sale of loose spice powders across the state. The order targets vendors who sell unpackaged spices, a practice that regulators say facilitates adulteration and compromises consumer safety.
According to the FDA, numerous inspections have uncovered instances where spices were mixed with substandard or harmful substances to increase weight and profit margins. By mandating that all spice powders be sold in sealed, labeled containers, the agency hopes to ensure traceability and adherence to quality standards.
The ban comes into effect immediately, and the FDA has warned that non‑compliant sellers will face penalties, including fines and possible closure of their outlets. Consumer groups have welcomed the move, urging shoppers to purchase spices only from reputable, packaged sources.
The state government has pledged to conduct regular monitoring and random checks to enforce the new rule, aiming to restore confidence in Maharashtra’s spice market, which supplies a large portion of India’s culinary demand.
According to the FDA, numerous inspections have uncovered instances where spices were mixed with substandard or harmful substances to increase weight and profit margins. By mandating that all spice powders be sold in sealed, labeled containers, the agency hopes to ensure traceability and adherence to quality standards.
The ban comes into effect immediately, and the FDA has warned that non‑compliant sellers will face penalties, including fines and possible closure of their outlets. Consumer groups have welcomed the move, urging shoppers to purchase spices only from reputable, packaged sources.
The state government has pledged to conduct regular monitoring and random checks to enforce the new rule, aiming to restore confidence in Maharashtra’s spice market, which supplies a large portion of India’s culinary demand.