Gujarat seizes ₹5.89 crore adulterated food in statewide crackdown
Synopsis
Gujarat's food regulators have put a ₹5.89 crore number on the scale of adulteration in the state — and the annual data is starker still: nearly 30% of ghee samples tested in 2025-26 failed compliance checks. With 16 districts swept and four major food categories implicated, this is one of the most comprehensive state-level food safety drives in recent memory.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat's Food and Drugs Regulatory Authority acted against over 2.21 lakh kg/litre of adulterated food worth ₹5.89 crore in a statewide drive.
Products targeted: 39,787 kg of ghee , 1,67,256.60 kg/litre of edible oil , 675.40 kg of milk products , and 5,229 kg of paneer .
Inspections covered 16 districts including Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, and Vadodara.
Annual 2025-26 data shows 205 of 696 ghee samples (nearly 30%) were non-conforming; 163 cases filed, fines of ₹2,03,77,700 imposed.
State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said enforcement will continue with regular sampling, inspections, and raids.
Gujarat's Food and Drugs Regulatory Authority (FDRA) has taken action against more than 2.21 lakh kg/litre of adulterated and substandard food products worth over ₹5.89 crore in a statewide enforcement drive targeting ghee, edible oil, milk, and paneer across multiple districts. The operation, conducted under a stated 'zero-tolerance enforcement' policy, covered both branded and loose-sale products across the supply chain.
What Was Seized and Where
According to official data, authorities acted against 39,787 kg of ghee valued at ₹2,38,72,200, 1,67,256.60 kg/litre of edible oil worth ₹3,34,51,320, 675.40 kg of milk and milk products valued at ₹47,250, and 5,229 kg of paneer worth ₹15,68,700.
Inspections spanned 16 districts including Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Banaskantha, Patan, Navsari, Valsad, Dahod, Kutch, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Surendranagar, and Panchmahal, along with other parts of the state.
What the Government Said
State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya stated that the government would not compromise on public health. 'The state government will not make any compromise with citizens' health,' he said, adding that strict action against adulterated and substandard food products would continue. He further indicated that enforcement would be strengthened through regular sampling, inspections, and raids across Gujarat.
Annual Enforcement Data: The Bigger Picture
Annual enforcement figures for 2025-26 reveal the scale of systemic non-compliance across food categories. In the ghee segment, 696 samples were tested, of which 205 were found non-conforming — a non-compliance rate of nearly 30%. Enforcement resulted in 163 cases and fines totalling ₹2,03,77,700.
For paneer and dairy products, 1,406 samples were analysed with 195 found non-compliant; 136 cases were filed and penalties of ₹35,57,000 were imposed. In the edible oil category, 1,036 samples were tested, 85 found non-conforming, leading to 87 cases and fines of ₹90,26,500. For milk, 1,282 samples were collected, with 66 non-conforming; 50 cases were registered and penalties of ₹25,19,000 imposed.
What Happens Next
Officials confirmed the enforcement programme will continue with intensified monitoring and routine sampling. This comes amid growing national concern over food adulteration, with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) having flagged dairy and edible oil as high-risk categories in successive annual reports. Gujarat's crackdown is notably one of the most granular state-level drives in recent months, with district-wise coverage and product-specific penalty data made public.
Point of View
But the annual compliance data tells a more uncomfortable story: nearly one in three ghee samples tested in Gujarat in 2025-26 failed standards. That is not a fringe problem — it points to structural gaps in supply-chain oversight that periodic raids alone cannot fix. The state's decision to publish district-wise and product-specific penalty data is a step toward accountability, but without sustained third-party audits and public disclosure of offender names, enforcement risks becoming a cyclical headline rather than a deterrent. Food adulteration disproportionately harms lower-income households who rely on loose-sale products with no brand accountability.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Gujarat's food safety crackdown find?
Authorities seized over 2.21 lakh kg/litre of adulterated and substandard food products worth more than ₹5.89 crore, targeting ghee, edible oil, milk, and paneer across 16 districts. The drive was conducted by the Gujarat Food and Drugs Regulatory Authority under a zero-tolerance enforcement policy.
Which districts were covered in the Gujarat food adulteration drive?
Inspections were carried out across 16 districts including Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Banaskantha, Patan, Navsari, Valsad, Dahod, Kutch, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Surendranagar, and Panchmahal, along with other parts of Gujarat.
How much adulterated ghee was seized in Gujarat?
Authorities acted against 39,787 kg of ghee valued at ₹2,38,72,200. Annual 2025-26 data shows 205 of 696 ghee samples tested were non-conforming, resulting in 163 cases and fines totalling ₹2,03,77,700.
What did Health Minister Praful Pansheriya say about the crackdown?
State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya stated that the government would not compromise on citizens' health and that strict action against adulterated food products would continue. He said enforcement would be strengthened through regular sampling, inspections, and raids across the state.
Will the food safety enforcement in Gujarat continue?
Yes, officials confirmed the enforcement programme will continue with intensified monitoring and routine sampling across all districts. The drive is part of an ongoing zero-tolerance policy rather than a one-time operation.
