The Maharashtra FDA has warned that schools serving food directly to students could lose their affiliation if they fail to comply with food safety rules. The regulator said school managements will be held accountable for ensuring meals and food served during celebrations meet prescribed standards. By Santia Gora July 29, 2026, 10:08:53 PM IST (Published)
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Schools that fail to comply with food safety regulations while serving meals directly to students could lose their affiliation, Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has said, warning that authorities will take stricter action to ensure compliance with the state’s school food safety norms.
Speaking to CNBC-TV18 about the food safety initiative for schools, Mundhe said the regulations, introduced in 2021, were aimed at ensuring children receive balanced and nutritious meals. He said the FDA had issued a clarification earlier this week to strengthen implementation and remove ambiguity around compliance. “The primary responsibility lies with the school management, principals and the institutions concerned,” Mundhe said, adding that the School Education Department and the relevant education boards would also be accountable for ensuring the rules are followed. He said schools that prepare and serve food themselves, rather than through third-party vendors, could face the loss of affiliation if they fail to comply with the regulations. The commissioner said the norms also apply to food distributed during birthdays, Independence Day, Republic Day and other special occasions. Schools, he said, must ensure such celebrations do not violate the regulations, which prohibit food items high in fat, trans fat and sugar.
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FDA inspected over 600 establishments
Mundhe also defended the FDA’s recent enforcement drive against allegations that inspections had selectively targeted certain businesses. He said the department began by acting against prohibited products such as gutkha before expanding inspections to restaurants, eateries, milk and dairy products and other high-risk food categories, including meat. “There is a method. It is not random pick and choose,” he said, adding that inspections are based on complaints, intelligence inputs, media reports and the department’s own data. According to Mundhe, the FDA has inspected more than 600 food establishments. The licences of around 50 to 60 establishments have been suspended, while nearly 150 have been served improvement notices.
The remaining establishments were found to be compliant. He said enforcement action had covered a range of businesses, including restaurants, milk centres, grocery stores, ice cream parlours, sweet shops, vada pav outlets and Blinkit dark stores. Action had also been taken against hotels, including Radisson, where violations were found. Responding to allegations surrounding action against Rustomjee, Mundhe said the inspection followed a complaint and uncovered multiple instances of non-compliance, including the presence of rats and rodents. Any land or property dispute involving the establishment was outside the FDA’s mandate, he added. Consumers should ask about food safety
Mundhe said inspections had revealed significant differences in hygiene standards across food establishments.
He said FDA officials had found kitchens in poor condition during inspections and had also uncovered rackets involved in recirculating expired food into the market, including one in Bhiwandi. At the same time, he said several establishments maintained acceptable food safety standards.
He urged consumers not to judge food outlets by their brand or ambience but to ask whether an establishment holds a valid licence, what ingredients are being used and whether food products have been tested. Watch accompanying video for full conversation. “Once they realise people are more aware, they will do better,” he said. Reflecting on his administrative career, Mundhe said serving as Nagpur Municipal Commissioner during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was among his most challenging assignments. Describing himself, he said he was “authentic, dynamic, result-oriented and above all, ethical”. Home India News Schools could lose affiliation over unsafe food, warns Maha FDA chief Tukaram Mundhe
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