Maharashtra schools to junk vad pav, chips, energy drinks: The new food safety norms

The Food and Drug Administration has followed its crackdown on restaurants by turning the lens on junk food served in and around schoolsAfter a major crackdown on restaurants and eating houses for violation of hygiene and sanitation norms, the Maharashtra FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has turned the lens on school canteens selling junk food. The FDA has also directed that shops in 50-metre radius of schools not be allowed to sell foods high in sugar, salt, saturated fats and trans fats. This covers cakes, energy drinks and deep-fried snacks such as chips, samosa and vada pav.The directives will apply on aided, unaided and private schools, and cover institutions affiliated to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and other boards.Maharashtra has around 108,000 schools and over 20 million students. Changing lifestyles, aggressive marketing and social media have led to easy availability and high consumption of junk food among students. Coupled with sedentary lifestyles and lack of outdoor activity, this has caused childhood obesity, poor nutrition, metabolic disorders, anaemia and concentration issues, it all leading to a creeping health crisis.“The most important stakeholders—schools, children and parents—need to understand that we must give children a balanced diet, and develop a [food] culture that positively impacts their life. This (directives) will help achieve safe food, safe people, safe children, and ensure their all-round growth and lead to a positive impact on families and the society,” said Tukaram Mundhe, commissioner, Maharashtra FDA. It would now be mandatory for school canteens, tuck shops, mid-day meal centres, hostel kitchens and all suppliers of food to have FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) registrations. The sale, advertising and distribution of HFSS (high fat, sugar and salt) foods in the premises of schools, and in a 50-metre radius from its gates, would be prohibited.Snacks and eatables with high salt, sugar, saturated fats and trans fats will be banned in schools; the focus will be on ensuring that students eat healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, whole grains, milk, and locally available nutritious items. Rules regarding clean drinking water, hygiene, safe storage and handling of food, and waste management will have to be followed strictly. Each school will be examined twice a year for food safety; samples will be collected once a year.The action, which has been undertaken under the Food Safety and Standards (Safe Foods and Balanced Diets for Children in School) Regulations, 2020, will also be binding on schools that provide mid-day meals under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana (PM-POSHAN). Schools will nominate teachers as health and wellness ambassadors or nodal officers to ensure the regulations are complied with.So far, the FDA has held 42 awareness workshops and trained 4,919 teachers from 3,567 schools.Mundhe, a 2005 batch IAS officer, has launched a crackdown on Mumbai restaurants, eating houses and elite clubs over hygiene. This action covers the Cricket Club of India (CCI) in Churchgate, MIG Cricket Club in Bandra, RK Juhu Gymkhana and Aparna Juhu Gymkhana, and Willingdon Sports Club in Tardeo, whose food licences were suspended, while that of a restaurant in the Goregaon Sports Club was suspended.The FDA has taken action against iconic establishments such as Parsi Dairy Farm at Marine Lines and K Rustom & Co ice cream at Churchgate, and landmark restaurants like the much-patronised Noor Mohammadi, Shalimar, Jimmy Boy Mahim and also Poornima at Fort in Mumbai, a favourite with office-goers.The FDA inspections revealed cockroach infestations, spoilt vegetables, fungus in a drum used to serve pickles, water accumulation, dirty floors and counters, and fungal growth on bananas and drumsticks at some of these errant establishments. Parsi Dairy Farm has re-opened after complying with the food safety norms.Subscribe to India Today Magazine- EndsPublished By: Akshita JollyPublished On: Jul 31, 2026 20:31 IST