New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked states and union territories to intensify surveillance and enforcement to stop adulterated, counterfeited and unsafe food from reaching consumers during the upcoming Navratri and Diwali festivals.
In a letter dated 29 September 2026 to the commissioners of all states and union territories and to all its regional directors, the regulator noted that demand for sweets, savouries, beverages, edible oil and milk and milk products such as ghee, khoa and paneer rises sharply across the country during the festive season.
FSSAI notified that enforcement officials must be directed to carry out inspections and sampling in their areas during the festive period and inspection drives should be concentrated on identified hot spots and sensitive locations.
The regulator directed states and union territories to strategically deploy Food Safety on Wheels (FSWs), wherever available, such as in prominent market places and/or based on specific intelligence inputs to facilitate on-the-spot testing, strengthen vigilance, create awareness and to boost consumer trust during the festive season.
It added that the relevant data of inspection, sampling and their outcome must mandatorily be updated/recorded on its portal, FoSCoS / FoSCoRIS on a real-time basis.
