FDA Busts Expiry Date Tampering Racket in Turbhe, Seizes Stock Worth Rs 75 Lakh

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Navi Mumbai Police Crime Branch have busted a suspected food adulteration racket operating out of Turbhe's TTC Industrial Area in Navi Mumbai, seizing packaged food products worth Rs 75.52 lakh.

The joint operation was carried out between August 24 and August 29 following inspections at a facility named Sadhana Enterprises. Officials discovered that manufacturing and expiry or use-by dates printed on packaged goods were allegedly being replaced to allow expired items to be sold.

According to the FDA, original product labels containing nutritional and ingredient details were systematically removed and substituted with fresh stickers. The altered products were then repackaged so they could be marketed beyond their prescribed shelf life.

The seized merchandise included widely sold snack brands and packaged foods, including Lay's potato chips, Kurkure variants, Fun Flips, Maggi Masala, and Maggi Atta Noodles, along with other ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook items.

In total, authorities seized 8,442 cartons associated with 10 exporter companies. The total value of the confiscated inventory was officially recorded at Rs 75,21,269.