Maharashtra FDA Mandates Calorie And Allergen Details On Restaurant Menus
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a major statewide campaign to enforce stricter compliance norms for food establishments, mandating that restaurants, hotels, and dhabas across Maharashtra display calorie and allergen information on their menus.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe announced the initiative during a press conference on Wednesday, stating that no food service establishment will be permitted to operate without a valid Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence or registration. The statewide campaign, which begins on Thursday, aims to bring nearly 4.5 lakh food businesses under stricter compliance. This includes hotels, restaurants, dhabas, cloud kitchens, caterers, and online food delivery operators.
Under the new regulations, which were drawn up during an FDA meeting on Tuesday, all food businesses must display accurate labelling, including calorie and allergen details. Large chain restaurants and centrally licensed establishments are specifically required to display this nutritional information on their menus to help consumers make informed food choices.
In addition to menu labelling, the FDA norms require establishments to maintain hygienic kitchens, clean customer washrooms, safe food handling practices, and proper food storage standards. Employees who handle food must undergo regular medical check-ups, obtain medical fitness certificates, and complete training. Mundhe explained that these checks are necessary to ensure food handlers are not carriers of diseases that could spread to the public.
Mundhe revealed that recent inspections conducted by the FDA uncovered serious lapses, including unhygienic food preparation, the reuse of cooking oil, and improper temperature control.
The campaign also mandates that establishments provide free, safe potable drinking water to customers and prominently display this facility. Mundhe stated that businesses cannot immediately offer bottled water for purchase without first informing customers of the availability of free, safe water.
Failure to adhere to these rules will attract severe penalties, ranging from fines and improvement notices to licence suspension, closure orders, food seizures, and prosecution. Operating without a valid FSSAI licence can invite penalties of up to Rs 10 lakh. Furthermore, serving unsafe food that results in death can attract a prison term of seven years to life, along with a minimum fine of Rs 10 lakh under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
