India Busts Firm Faking Expiry Dates, Nutrition Labels on PepsiCo, Nestle Food Exports Indian authorities raided an illegal operation in Mumbai, uncovering a scheme to falsify expiry dates and nutritional information on food products manufactured by PepsiCo, Nestle, Coca-Cola, and Unilever. The operation, based in a warehouse in Navi Mumbai, involved altering labels on items destined for export, raising concerns about food safety and regulatory compliance. The Maharashtra state government, led by its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) head Tukaram Mundhe, intensified its crackdown on food safety violations, with the raid marking one of the most significant investigations in recent years. The warehouse, located approximately 25 kilometers from Mumbai’s international airport, was operated by privately owned Sadhana Enterprises. According to a police case document and a media release, the company allegedly carried out the activities on behalf of 19 little-known exporters. Officials confirmed that most of the products were expired or nearing expiration, with fake expiry and manufacturing dates applied to make them appear fresh. The altered labels, which included both English and French text, were designed to meet foreign labeling requirements, as noted by Reuters. Mundhe described the operation as an "organised activity" carried out systematically. He emphasized the need for supply chain accountability, stating that companies must adhere to regulations to ensure proper branding, packaging, and sales practices. The FDA official highlighted that the fake labels were applied using a combination of manual and machine processes. Workers reportedly used a stylus to input false dates on computer screens and then printed new labels over the original packaging using a machine attached to a metal table.#maharashtra #india #pepsico #tukaram_mundhe #sadhan_enterprises
