Lok Sabha Question No. 4300 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Food Adulteration and Consumer Protection Measures
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Smt. Roopkumari Choudhary

## Government of India

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4300 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026

## FOOD ADULTERATION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION MEASURES

4300.  SMT. ROOPKUMARI CHOUDHARY:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that over 1.70 lakh food samples were analysed in 2023-24 of which 33,808 (about 20%) were found non-conforming and that 44,626 samples were found nonconforming in 2022-23 indicating widespread adulteration and sub-standard food in the consumer market;
- (b) whether  complaints  relating  to  adulterated  milk,  edible  oils,  spices  and  packaged  foods  have increased on the National Consumer Helpline and before Consumer Commissions and if so, the details thereof, year-wise;
- (c) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  through  the  Central  Consumer  Protection  Authority,  Legal Metrology and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to strengthen market surveillance, product testing, statutory recalls and consumer awareness; and
- (d) whether the Government proposes to establish a nationwide integrated consumer protection and testing mechanism and if so, the timeline thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE

## CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L. VERMA)

(a) : Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) working under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) conducts regular surveillance drives, monitoring, regulatory inspection and random sampling of various food products including milk, edible oils, spices, and packaged foods throughout the year by the officials of Food Safety Departments of the respective States/UTs and Regional Offices of FSSAI to check compliance with the quality and safety parameters and other requirements as laid  down under  Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Regulations  made thereunder. Any Food Business  Operators  (FBOs)  found  in  contravention  of  the  provisions  of  the  FSS  Act,  2006,  and Regulations made thereunder faces penal actions as per the provisions outlined in Chapter IX (Offences and Penalties) of the Act, specifically Section 48-67 of the FSS Act, 2006.

The numbers of enforcement samples analysed during 2022-23 were 1,77,511 out of which 44,626 samples were found non-conforming. In the year 2023-24 total numbers of enforcement samples analysed were 1,70,513 out of which 33,808 samples were found non-conforming.

(b) to (d) : The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs has emerged as a single point of access for consumers across the country for redressal of their grievances at the pre-litigation stage. Consumers can register their grievances in 17 languages including Hindi, English and  Malayalam  through  the  toll-free  number  1915.  These  grievances  can  be  registered  on  Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism (INGRAM), an omni-channel IT enabled central portal, through various channels- WhatsApp (8800001915), SMS (8800001915), email (nch-ca@gov.in), the NCH app, the web portal (consumerhelpline.gov.in) and the Umang app, as per their convenience.

The details of grievances related to food adulteration registered on NCH during 2022-23 to 2024-25 are as follows:-

| Year      |   No. of grievances registered |
|-----------|--------------------------------|
| 2022-2023 |                            232 |
| 2023-2024 |                            308 |
| 2024-2025 |                           1017 |

The details regarding the number of complaints relating to adulterated milk, edible oils, spices and packaged foods, filed before Consumer Commissions during the last 5 years are as follows :

|   Year |   No. of complaints filed |
|--------|---------------------------|
|   2021 |                       143 |
|   2022 |                       256 |
|   2023 |                       267 |
|   2024 |                       283 |
|   2025 |                       409 |

FSSAI has developed an online grievance redressal mechanism (https:/foscos.fssai.gov.in/consumergrievance/) on which consumers can lodge complaint. On successful registration of a complaint, a unique code/ticket number is generated against each lodged complaint which is conveyed via SMS on the mobile number of the consumer provided at the time of registering the concern. As per the online system, the complaint is first forwarded to the Food Business Operator (FBO) which is mentioned in the complaint. The FBO should respond and if the complainant is not satisfied or the FBO doesn't  respond,  then  the  complaint  is  forwarded  to  the  respective  States/Central  Food  Authority  for subsequent action.

Further, to strengthen the food regulatory ecosystem in the country, FSSAI has notified 252 food testing laboratories for analysis of food samples and 24 Referral Food Laboratories, under FSS Act for the analysis of appellate samples. For up-gradation of state food testing laboratories, FSSAI provides financial and technical assistance to State Food Testing Laboratories (SFTLs). FSSAI has also provided funds for the Mobile Food Testing Laboratory (MFTL) referred to as 'Food Safety on wheels' (FSW) to States/UTs. It is an important means to combat adulteration as FSWs are equipped with basic infrastructure for on spot testing  of  adulteration  in  various  food  commodities.  Currently,  305  FSWs  are  deployed  across  35 States/UTs.  Further,  the  Food  Safety  Magic  Boxes,  facilitates  the  detection  of  adulteration  in  food.  It consists  of  reliable  "quick  screening  tests"  that  a  common  person  can  perform  at  the  household  level, enabling a broad assessment of potential adulteration in their food in cases of doubt. It consists of a total of 107 tests across 06 food categories which includes detection of adulterants like starch, urea, detergent, cellulose,  maltodextrin  salicylic  acid,  glucose  etc.  FSSAI  published  DART  Booklet  ie.,  'Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test which covers more than 50 quick tests for different categories of foods: milk & milk products; oils & fats; sugars & confectionery; food grains and their products; spices & condiments; to detect adulteration at household levels .