India's food safety regulator has seized 3,280 tonnes of banned and non-compliant food products worth about ₹82 crore during a nationwide inspection drive aimed at curbing adulteration during the festive season.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said it inspected 56,431 food establishments between 1 September and 5 November 2026. In all, 3,279.57 tonnes of food worth ₹81.80 crore were seized, and the regulator cancelled 52 licences, suspended 1,133 licences and sealed 314 establishments. It also issued 10,047 improvement notices to food businesses.

The seized products included paneer, ghee, milk and sweets, the foods most in demand during Diwali, along with cooking oils, khoya, bakery products, chocolates, ice creams, namkeen and packaged foods. FSSAI announced the results in social media posts on Saturday 7 November, saying it had stepped up vigilance in view of the festivals.

The drive was carried out with state food safety departments across the country, targeting the heightened risk of adulteration when demand for festive foods surges. FSSAI said it has stepped up enforcement against food businesses and e-commerce companies through 2026 to make sure consumers get safe food.

Testing was the slower part of the operation. Officials collected 43,939 food samples during the drive, and 23,648 had been analysed when the figures were released. Of those, 2,273 samples failed to meet the required standards, and 410 prosecutions were started, according to The Economic Times. That leaves more than 20,000 samples still to be tested, so the final count of failed samples could still change.

The figures released by the regulator do not give a breakdown by state or by type of food, and they do not name the businesses that lost their licences or say how long the suspended licences will stay suspended. Starting a prosecution is not a finding of guilt, and the reports do not say how many of the failed samples led to the cases that were filed.

Consumers who suspect adulterated or unsafe food can report it through FSSAI's Food Safety Connect app, attaching photos and the location of the outlet. The app also lets buyers check whether a food business holds a valid licence or registration before they buy.

The crackdown comes as India emerges from its biggest festival season, when sweet shops and dairy sellers do some of their heaviest trading of the year. FSSAI said it will keep working with state authorities to improve compliance across the food chain.