{
  "id": 18485396,
  "title": "Maharashtra FDA outlines precautions for consumers, directions to food business operators amid Deepavali",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/maharashtra-fda-outlines-precautions-for-consumers-directions-to-food",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-11-06T10:51:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra/maharashtra-fda-outlines-precautions-for-consumers-directions-to-food-business-operators-amid-deepavali/article71673376.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ahead of Diwali, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued precautions for consumers and guidelines for food business operators to ensure food safety during the festival season. Citizens are advised to buy food only from licensed establishments, verify licenses through the Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) portal or shop boards, and inspect product labels, expiry dates and FSSAI numbers. Avoid sweets with unnaturally bright colors, those showing signs of spoilage, or with artificial gloss, and discard sour-smelling, sticky or fungus-infested products. Food business operators must display valid FSSAI licences, maintain hygienic premises, follow cleanliness standards, and appoint food safety supervisors. They should use fresh ingredients, avoid synthetic colors and prohibited adulterants, and label products correctly. E-commerce platforms must list licensed sellers and ensure food arrives with at least 30% of its shelf life remaining. The FDA's Commissioner, Tukaram Mundhe, emphasized that food safety is paramount and urged citizens to report any concerns through the provided helpline or portal.",
  "summary": "The advisory, by the FDA, was issued to ensure food safety during the festive season, when demand for sweets, khava, ghee, dry fruits and other food products rises",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}