FDA's Tukaram Mundhe Warns Nobody Will Be Spared Amid Food Safety Crackdown

Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff were slammed with notices from the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over their Vimal Elaichi advertisement. A day after those notices were issued to the superstars, FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has opened up to PTI about the heavy crackdown.

“Everybody across the chain is responsible. It applies to all,” he said in an exclusive interview with PTI news agency. The FDA chief said the regulations were “applicable to all”, saying “nobody is going to be spared.”

FDA Chief Tukaram Mundhe's Claims

"The issue is about Food Safety and Standards Regulations implementation. One of the regulations is about advertisement and misleading claims,” he told PTI, adding that the regulation came into existence in 2018 and came into force from July 1, 2019.

“Whatever the product somebody is endorsing, they have to look into the guidelines and regulations of FSSAI about advertising and claims. If wrongfulness is found, we will take action against those also,” he said

He further said, “Whatever the product somebody is endorsing, they have to look into the guidelines and regulations of FSSAI about advertising and claims. If wrongfulness is found, we will take action against those also.” The FDA, while issuing notices to the actors, said the campaign prima facie amounted to indirect or surrogate promotion of prohibited pan masala and tobacco-related products.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has praised the crackdown on violations of food safety and hygiene norms, “What the FDA is doing is appreciable not only because they are doing their job right but also creating awareness about safe food and the discipline we need. The FDA is creating a window wherein the people also become demanding and probably the system improves. The only challenge with such initiatives is their sustainability. For that, we need systemic changes".