Behind the Festive Numbers
During the 2025-26 fiscal year, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in collaboration with state authorities, undertook a massive surveillance effort. While the headline figure points to over 5.2 lakh inspections, more detailed reports
from the period show a figure closer to 4 lakh inspections nationwide. From these, a significant number of samples were collected for analysis. The finding that approximately 18% of food samples tested were 'non-conforming' raises immediate questions for consumers. This means that nearly one in every five food samples failed to meet the legal standards for quality and safety. This enforcement drive resulted in significant legal action, including thousands of civil and criminal cases and financial penalties amounting to over ₹150 crore, underscoring a stricter approach to food safety violations.
What Does 'Non-Conforming' Really Mean?
The term 'non-conforming' can sound technical, but it covers a range of serious issues. A non-conforming product is one that fails to meet specified requirements for quality, safety, or regulations. According to the FSSAI, this is broken down into three main categories. 'Unsafe' food contains contaminants, toxins, or harmful substances that can cause injury or illness. 'Substandard' food does not meet the prescribed quality standards but may not be immediately harmful. 'Misbranded' food often involves false or misleading information on the label, such as incorrect ingredient lists or nutritional claims. So, a non-conforming sample could range from a sweet containing a non-permitted artificial colour to milk diluted with urea, or a product simply lacking proper labelling.
The Most Common Culprits
During festive seasons, the demand for certain items skyrockets, creating an incentive for adulteration. Milk and milk products like khoya, paneer, and ghee are perennial high-risk items. Adulterants can range from starch and water to more dangerous substances like detergents and urea to create synthetic milk. Sweets are another major area of concern, where vendors might use non-edible colours instead of permitted food dyes, or use fake silver foil made of aluminium. Edible oils are also frequently targeted, with some vendors reusing oil repeatedly until it develops toxic compounds or mixing cheaper oils with more expensive ones. FSSAI's surveillance directives specifically highlight these products, along with cereals and various snacks, as requiring heightened scrutiny during festival periods.
Consequences for Violators
Selling non-conforming food is not a minor offence and carries significant penalties under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The consequences depend on the severity of the violation. For selling substandard food, penalties can go up to ₹5 lakh. If food is misbranded, the fine can be up to ₹3 lakh. The penalties become much stricter for unsafe food. If the unsafe food causes no injury, it can still lead to imprisonment for up to six months and a fine of ₹1 lakh. If it causes grievous injury, the imprisonment can extend to six years with a ₹5 lakh fine. In the most tragic cases, where consumption leads to death, the penalty can be life imprisonment and a fine of at least ₹10 lakh.
How to Be a Smart and Safe Consumer
While regulators are working to enforce standards, the ultimate gatekeeper is the consumer. You can take several steps to protect yourself and your family. First, always try to buy from reputable and licensed vendors; look for the FSSAI registration number displayed on the premises. Be wary of sweets that are excessively bright or colourful, as they may contain industrial dyes. When buying packed goods, carefully check the expiry date, packaging integrity, and ingredient list. For items like khoya or paneer, trust your senses—an off-smell or unusual texture is a red flag. A simple test for starch in khoya is to boil a small sample in water, let it cool, and add a drop of iodine solution; a blue colour indicates adulteration. Reporting suspected adulteration to the authorities through FSSAI's consumer grievance portals can also help drive enforcement where it's needed most.
