Maharashtra FDA bans loose spice powder sales, orders Statewide crackdown on adulteration

Manufacturers have been directed to maintain clean, dry and pest-free premises, with drying spices on public roads, near drains, garbage bins or cattle sheds strictly prohibited. Image for the purpose of representation only. | Photo Credit: File

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has prohibited the sale of loose, unpackaged spice powders and mixed spices across the State as part of a crackdown on adulteration, unhygienic manufacturing practices and misleading labelling. The order, issued by Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Thursday (October 15, 2026) mandates stricter safety standards across the spice supply chain, from manufacturing to retail sale.

The directive covers manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, e-commerce operators, hotels, restaurants and caterers dealing in spices, including turmeric, chilli, coriander, cumin, black pepper and mixed spice products. All spice powders and mixed spices must be packed and sealed at the place of production before distribution or sale.

The FDA has banned the use of prohibited colouring agents, including Metanil Yellow, Rhodamine B, Sudan dyes and Lead Chromate, along with adulterants such as brick powder, chalk, sawdust, and foreign starch. The sale of inferior-quality spices and spices from which extracts have been removed is also prohibited.