Lok Sabha Question No. 4540 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: Adulteration in Branded Packaged Spices
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Mrs Ruchi Vira

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4540

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025

## ADULTERATION IN BRANDED PACKAGED SPICES

4540.  MRS RUCHI VIRA:

(OIH)

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the complaints or reports have been received to the Government in respect of adulteration of branded or packaged spices manufactured by the companies working in the country;
- (b) if so, the number of such cases reported in the last five years along with the name-wise details of the companies involved in violating the food security norms;
- (c) whether  any  laboratory  test  or  sample  analysis  has  been  conducted  by  the  Food  Safety  and Standards Authority of India or the State Food Safety Department;
- (d) if so, the outcome thereof;
- (e) the  details  of  the  actions  including  imposition  of  penalty,  cancellation  of  licenses  or  criminal proceedings taken against the manufacturers or the companies found guilty in such an adulteration; and
- (f) whether there is any monitoring system prevalent for ensuring constant compliance of food safety standards by the spices manufacturers?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L. VERMA)

(a) & (b) :  Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has informed that FSSAI and States/ UTs Food Safety Authorities have received complaints w.r.t. various concerns including adulteration. In this regard, the consolidated data of complaints including related with spices received and resolved in last 5 financial years are given below:

| Year    |   Complaints Received |   Complaints Resolved |
|---------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
| 2020-21 |                   850 |                   829 |
| 2021-22 |                  3881 |                  3729 |
| 2022-23 |                  4330 |                  4074 |
| 2023-24 |                  4735 |                  3993 |
| 2024-25 |                  7705 |                  5952 |

(c) to (f)  : FSSAI through State/UT Food Safety Authorities and its regional offices conduct regular surveillance, enforcement drive, monitoring, inspection, and sampling of various food products including spices.

For  the  testing  of  food  samples,  FSSAI  has  notified  244  NABL-accredited  food  testing laboratories.  In  addition,  22  Referral  Food  Laboratories,  primarily  owned  by  Central  Government departments and institutions, have also been notified for the analysis of appellate samples.

In  cases,  where  the  food  samples  are  found  non-conforming  during  laboratory  testing,  penal actions are initiated against the defaulting Food Business Operators (FBOs) as per the provisions of FSS Act 2006, Rules and Regulations made thereunder.

The  details  of  enforcement  activities  of  food  samples  analyzed,  found  non-conforming  and penalties etc in the past 3 years are placed at Annexure-I.

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ANNEXURE-I ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c to f) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  4540  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  20.08.2025  REGARDING  ADULTERATION  IN BRANDED PACKAGED SPICES.

| Details of Enforcement activities undertaken in last 3 Years (including spices)   | Details of Enforcement activities undertaken in last 3 Years (including spices)   | Details of Enforcement activities undertaken in last 3 Years (including spices)   | Details of Enforcement activities undertaken in last 3 Years (including spices)   | Details of Enforcement activities undertaken in last 3 Years (including spices)   | Details of Enforcement activities undertaken in last 3 Years (including spices)   | Details of Enforcement activities undertaken in last 3 Years (including spices)   | Details of Enforcement activities undertaken in last 3 Years (including spices)   | Details of Enforcement activities undertaken in last 3 Years (including spices)   | Details of Enforcement activities undertaken in last 3 Years (including spices)   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                                              | No. of Samples Analyzed                                                           | No. of Samples found non- conforming                                              | Non-Conforming Samples                                                            | Non-Conforming Samples                                                            | Non-Conforming Samples                                                            | Civil Cases                                                                       | Civil Cases                                                                       | Criminal Cases                                                                    | Criminal Cases                                                                    |
| Year                                                                              | No. of Samples Analyzed                                                           | No. of Samples found non- conforming                                              | Unsafe                                                                            | Sub Standard                                                                      | Labelling defects/ Misleading/ Miscellaneou s                                     | Decided with Penalty                                                              | Penalties Realized (Cr Rs.)                                                       | No. of Convictions                                                                | Penalties Realized (Cr Rs.)                                                       |
| 2024-25                                                                           | 170535                                                                            | 34388                                                                             | 7945                                                                              | 22516                                                                             | 3931                                                                              | 30142                                                                             | 35.74                                                                             | 1265                                                                              | 3.03                                                                              |
| 2023-24                                                                           | 170513                                                                            | 33808                                                                             | 6782                                                                              | 22603                                                                             | 4423                                                                              | 29586                                                                             | 74.12                                                                             | 1161                                                                              | 2.67                                                                              |
| 2022-23                                                                           | 177511                                                                            | 44626                                                                             | 6579                                                                              | 21917                                                                             | 16130                                                                             | 28464                                                                             | 33.23                                                                             | 1188                                                                              | 2.75                                                                              |

Note : Sample analysed/cases launched/ penalties raised may include data from previous F.Y.

*The sum of 'Non-Conforming Samples (Unsafe + Sub-standard + Labelling defects+ Misleading claims) may be more than the 'No. of non-conforming Samples' as single sample may be qualified for all type of non-conformance.

*****