Tukaram Mundhe effect? Reputation at stake, food businesses become ‘more vigilant’, shift to monthly audits, says report

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Tukaram Mundhe's crackdown on unhygienic kitchens at commercial eateries and misleading product labels has made businesses more vigilant, according to a recent report. In reaction to stricter enforcement, companies in Maharashtra and other Indian states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, and West Bengal have ramped up food safety checks.

Instead of quarterly audits, businesses are now requesting monthly inspections. Equinox Labs, an FSSAI-accredited lab providing food testing, audits, and safety training, observed a surge in demand for services, with Maharashtra customers increasing by 150 percent since June. Overall, food safety compliance has shifted from an occasional check to a routine cost of doing business.

With more scrutiny expected, restaurants, food manufacturers, and "dark stores" used by e-commerce platforms are ramping up laboratory testing and employee training, testing individual production batches, and even exceeding legal requirements. Additionally, the pressure on restaurants is extending to other aspects of food safety, such as labeling and advertising.

The Supreme Court recently asked FSSAI for a timeline to introduce stricter labels for packaged foods high in sugar, salt, and fat. This has created a lucrative market for specialists, who are now auditing restaurants in anticipation of regulatory inspections.