Gujarat Cracks Down on Food Adulteration; 4,000+ Units Inspected, 1,018 kg Suspicious Paneer Destroyed

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government, in a crackdown on food adulteration, inspected over 4,193 units across the state in April and destroyed 1,018 kg of suspicious paneer worth ₹1.83 lakh on the spot under the ongoing “Food Purification Campaign,” Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said on Friday.

The drive, aimed at curbing the sale of adulterated and analogue food products, has also led to the sealing of 18 units for serious violations and the collection of fines exceeding ₹2.84 lakh from establishments found violating rules, particularly in municipal corporation areas. Authorities issued notices to around 270 units for negligence, while 118 suspicious samples have been sent for laboratory testing, a press release said.

The campaign has focused heavily on dairy adulteration, especially the illegal sale of analogue products disguised as paneer. The minister warned that strict legal action would be taken against offenders, reiterating a “zero tolerance” policy toward practices that compromise public health.

In view of the summer season, enforcement teams also conducted targeted inspections of food and beverage vendors. A total of 1,705 samples, including watermelon, sugarcane juice, mango juice and ice-based products, were tested across 1,576 locations using “Food Safety on Wheels” units.

Reviewing the campaign in a meeting with the Food and Drug Regulatory Authority, Pansheriya directed officials to further intensify enforcement. He emphasized that the state government, under Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, remains committed to safeguarding citizens’ health and will not tolerate adulteration in any form.

Officials added that alongside enforcement, the government has also undertaken awareness initiatives, organising 284 training sessions and 255 public outreach programmes to educate traders and consumers about food safety and adulteration. DeshGujarat