New regulations strengthen traceability, hygiene, and food safety across the dairy supply chain, with penalties of up to ₹10 lakh for violations.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has introduced a comprehensive statewide compliance order to strengthen milk safety rules and curb adulteration across the dairy supply chain. The new framework applies to every stage of milk production and distribution—from collection centres and chilling units to processing plants, transporters, wholesalers, retailers, and manufacturers of dairy products. The move aims to ensure uniform implementation of food safety standards and improve consumer confidence in dairy products.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the new compliance order consolidates multiple existing food safety regulations into a single, standardized framework for the dairy sector. The guidelines are intended to improve compliance rather than restrict business operations, while ensuring that all stakeholders follow prescribed food safety and hygiene practices.
The new rules mandate strict traceability throughout the milk supply chain, requiring businesses to maintain records from milk collection to final sale. Operators must also preserve the cold chain, use food-grade stainless steel equipment, implement food safety management systems, and conduct regular Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) assessments to identify and manage food safety risks.
To enhance transparency for consumers, all raw milk containers must be clearly labelled “RAW MILK” along with a “Boil Before Consumption” warning. Pasteurised milk, meanwhile, can only be sold in sealed, tamper-proof, properly labelled packaging to reduce contamination risks and improve product integrity.
The FDA said the stricter measures follow inspections that uncovered widespread violations, including milk adulteration with water, production of synthetic milk using substances such as urea, detergents, starch, formalin, and hydrogen peroxide, poor hygiene practices, excessive antibiotic residues, and failures to maintain proper refrigeration during transportation and storage.
Violations such as operating without a valid licence or registration, misleading advertisements, false claims, milk adulteration, and other food safety offences can now attract penalties of up to ₹10 lakh, along with suspension or cancellation of licences where applicable. The FDA has indicated that it will impose the maximum penalties permitted under the law to deter non-compliance.
The new compliance framework reflects Maharashtra’s broader efforts to strengthen food safety enforcement and eliminate milk adulteration across the state. By improving traceability, hygiene standards, and accountability throughout the dairy value chain, the FDA aims to safeguard public health while ensuring consumers receive safe and high-quality milk and dairy products.