The Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) in Gujarat has announced plans to intensify surveillance following reports of misbranded edible oils, including incidents where palm oil was fraudulently sold as cottonseed oil. FDCA officials have pledged to increase checks and test samples from suspected misbranded products to protect consumers.
A top executive from a leading edible oil company revealed that police-assisted raids uncovered a racket selling counterfeit cottonseed oil in South Gujarat. “Some traders have been found using prominent brand stickers on adulterated edible oil packaging to earn higher profits. There are also cases of palm oil being sold in tins labeled as cottonseed oil,” the official stated. Authorities have been alerted to these fraudulent practices.
FDCA Commissioner H.G. Koshia emphasized the administration’s commitment to ensuring the availability of pure food products, especially as the festive season approaches. “We will intensify our surveillance efforts to curb the manufacture and sale of misbranded and adulterated products like ghee, paneer, and edible oil,” Koshia said.
Additionally, 55 edible oil manufacturers in Gujarat recently received notices from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for reusing tin containers for packaging. This violates the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulation of 2018, which prohibits the reuse of tin containers for food without proper cleaning, a measure aimed at preventing potential health hazards.