Steps Taken to Curb Adulteration in Food Items

1. At a Glance

FSSAI, the apex food regulator under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, drives a science-based regime under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 covering manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of food [S1][S2].
Enforcement is a shared Centre-State responsibility — FSSAI sets standards, State Food Safety Authorities execute surveillance and prosecution [S1].
For UPSC: a frequently asked theme under GS-II (governance, statutory bodies) and GS-III (food processing, consumer protection); numbers from PIB are prime Prelims fodder [S1][S2].

PIB release dated 17 March 2026 by MoHFW reported that over 5.18 lakh food samples were analysed in 3 years (2022-23 to 2024-25) with 88,192 penalties and 3,614 convictions — placing FSSAI enforcement back in the news [S1][S2].

Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 — the pre-FSSAI legal regime.
FSS Act, 2006 consolidated 8 earlier laws into a single statute; FSSAI established in 2008, made operational from 2011 [S1].
Subsequent additions: Eat Right India movement, Food Safety on Wheels (FSW), Risk-Based Inspection System (RBIS), Food Safety Connect app [S1][S2].

Parent ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare [S1].
Statute: Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 [S1].
Regulator: FSSAI (statutory body) [S1].
Notified food testing laboratories: 252 [S1][S2].
Referral Food Laboratories (for appellate samples): 24 [S1][S2].
Food Safety on Wheels (Mobile Food Testing Labs): 305 deployed across 35 States/UTs [S1][S2].
3-year (2022-23 to 2024-25) enforcement: 5,18,559 samples analysed; 88,192 penalty cases; 3,614 convictions; 1,161 licences cancelled [S1][S2].
Risk-Based Inspection System (RBIS): frequency of inspection calibrated to risk profile of Food Business Operator (FBO) [S1][S2].
Consumer grievance channels: FSSAI helpline + Food Safety Connect mobile app [S1].

Legal/Constitutional — FSS Act 2006 is a Union law; enforcement falls in concurrent practice via State Food Safety Commissioners; penalties under Chapter IX of the Act [S1].
Administrative — Centre lays standards, States execute; bottlenecks include shortage of Food Safety Officers and notified labs in smaller States; FSW closes the last-mile testing gap [S1][S2].
Scientific/Technological — Risk-Based Inspection System uses risk profiling; mobile labs allow on-spot detection in milk, ghee, spices, honey, paneer [S2].
Social — Adulteration disproportionately affects low-income consumers and children (milk, mid-day meals); Eat Right Campus/School target behavioural change [S2].
Economic — Compliance burden on MSME food businesses; licence cancellations (1,161) signal a deterrence push [S2].
Governance/Ethics — Transparency through publicised sampling data; conviction rate (~0.7% of samples) flags weak prosecutorial outcomes despite high penalty count [S1][S2].

17 March 2026 — MoHFW PIB statement on 5.18 lakh samples / 88,192 penalties / 3,614 convictions over 3 years [S1][S2].
305 Food Safety on Wheels units operational across 35 States/UTs [S1][S2].
Scaling of Risk-Based Inspection System with fresh FSSAI guidelines [S2].
Continued financial/technical assistance to States for lab upgradation and capacity building [S2].

FSSAI is constituted under the FSS Act, 2006 (not 2011 — 2011 is the year of operationalisation) [S1].
FSSAI is under MoHFW, NOT Ministry of Consumer Affairs or Ministry of Food Processing Industries [S1].
Number of notified food testing labs: 252 [S1].
Number of Referral Food Laboratories: 24 [S1].
Food Safety on Wheels deployed: 305 units in 35 States/UTs [S1][S2].
Samples analysed FY22-23 to FY24-25: 5,18,559 [S1][S2].
Convictions secured in the same 3-year window: 3,614 [S1][S2].
Licences cancelled: 1,161 [S2].
Risk-Based Inspection System (RBIS) decides inspection frequency by risk associated with FBOs [S1][S2].
Consumer complaint app: Food Safety Connect [S1].
FSS Act, 2006 replaced 8 earlier laws including the PFA Act, 1954.
Appellate samples are tested in Referral Food Laboratories, not regular notified labs [S1].

GS-II — Statutory regulatory bodies; Centre-State enforcement; consumer welfare.
GS-III — Food processing & related industries; food security & safety.
Likely stems: 1. "Despite a robust statutory framework under FSS Act, 2006, food adulteration persists in India. Examine the institutional and enforcement gaps and suggest reforms." 2. "Discuss the role of FSSAI in ensuring food safety. How effective have initiatives like Risk-Based Inspection and Food Safety on Wheels been?" 3. "Food adulteration is both a public health and consumer rights issue. Analyse in the context of recent enforcement data."

Eat Right India movement — behavioural arm of FSSAI strategy.
Consumer Protection Act, 2019 — overlapping consumer-rights statute.
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) — distinguish food standards (FSSAI) vs general standards (BIS).
APEDA & Spices Board — export-side quality oversight.
National Food Security Act, 2013 — quantity vs quality angle.
Codex Alimentarius (FAO-WHO) — international standards FSSAI aligns with [S3].
AGMARK — agricultural produce grading under Min. of Agriculture.
PMFME Scheme — formalisation of micro-food units, compliance linkage.

FSSAI is under MoHFW, not MoFPI or Consumer Affairs.
FSS Act is 2006; FSSAI became operational 2011 — aspirants confuse the two years.
Referral Food Laboratories (24) test appellate samples, distinct from the 252 notified labs.
Food Safety on Wheels is a mobile lab, not a food-delivery or PDS scheme.
Risk-Based Inspection sets inspection frequency, it is not a one-time risk audit.

[S1] Steps Taken to Curb Adulteration in Food Items — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2241083 — (tier: 1)
[S2] Steps taken to strengthen food safety enforcement and adulteration control — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2197617 — (tier: 1)
[S3] Measures taken by the government to stop food adulteration — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2101739 — (tier: 1)