Adulterated mawa worth Rs 9 lakh seized

The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials have seized 5,700kg of adulterated mawa (thickened milk) worth Rs 9 lakh which was being imported from Gujarat on Friday late evening.

In the Mumbai region, the demand for mawa (khoa) prepared with milk increases during the Ganpati festival.

The state food and drug administration has taken cognisance of those who have been trying to meet the surplus demand by importing formulated mawa from nearby states.

Speaking about the massive seizure, Harish Baijal, joint commissioner vigilance, FDA, said, “Our department received a tip-off that the surplus demand for mawa, an ingredient to make sweets, was being imported from Gujarat. This was actually formulated mawa. It was being sold and could have caused food poisoning. We conducted a raid and seized the whole consignment to curb food poisoning during the festivities.”

“The raid was conducted in Borivali (east) and the seized mawa was worth Rs 9.11 lakh. It was found that the vendor did not have the mandatory licence required under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. We will investigate the matter further,” added Mr Baijal.

Dr Suleman Merchant, dean of Sion Hospital, speaking about the dangers of spurious mawa, said, “Adulterated mawa can trigger infections and health complications such as vomiting, diarrhoea. Adulterated mawa contains added colour, which can cause allergic reactions, especially among children leading to breathlessness and an upset stomach.”