Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration has banned the sale of spice powders and mixed spices in loose, unpacked form, ordering businesses across the state to pack and seal products at the place of production before distribution and sale. The directive is part of a statewide crackdown on adulteration, prohibited colours and unhygienic production practices.
The compliance order, dated October 15, covers turmeric, chilli, coriander, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, asafoetida, saffron, poppy seeds, garam masala, curry powder and other spice products. It places responsibility on producers and sellers to ensure that these products are packed and sealed before they enter the distribution chain.
The FDA has also prohibited the use of unauthorised colours and harmful substances, including Metanil Yellow, Rhodamine B, Sudan dyes and lead chromate. The regulator said action would be taken against the mixing of brick powder, chalk, sawdust, foreign starch and other unauthorised substances to increase the weight or quantity of spices.
FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said enforcement would also cover the sale of spices from which extracts had been removed. Such products, according to the order as reported, will be treated as part of the adulteration crackdown.
The directive sets conditions for the drying, production and storage of spices. Spices must not be dried on public roads, tarred surfaces, drains, near garbage bins or close to cattle sheds. Production and storage premises must be clean, dry and pest-free, while spices must be protected from contamination.
The FDA has further prohibited the storage of chemicals, pesticides and industrial colours alongside spices. The requirement places hygiene controls not only on the final product but also on the physical premises and handling practices used before sale.
The order is significant for Maharashtra’s informal and small-scale spice trade, where loose powders are commonly sold through local shops and markets. The immediate compliance requirement is that covered products be packed and sealed at the production site before they are distributed or sold.
Food safety officers across Maharashtra have been directed to inspect spice businesses and record inspections, samples and enforcement action. The department’s next steps will therefore depend on the inspections and sampling carried out under the statewide enforcement drive.
