Fake ghee unit busted in Indore’s Palda industrial area:Over 3400 kg seized; vegetable fat mixed ghee re-branded and sold as pure ghee using two firms

The food safety officers have busted a fake ghee manufacturing unit in the Palda industrial area of Indore, seizing over 3,400 kilograms of ghee under suspicion of adulterated during the operation.
The raid was carried out at Shree Ram Milk Food Dairy, where officials discovered 1,300 kg of loose ghee and 1,700 kg of packed ghee under the brand name Mother Choice, Milk Cream, and others. The crackdown was launched following specific inputs received by senior administrative officials, who directed the team to investigate. The food safety officers conducted the operation Wednesday and collected multiple samples for testing. Two firms used to sell fake products Officials revealed that the owner of the firm was operating two separate entities to run the illegal trade. He was using one firm to buy ghee from different states, while using another to sell the same after re-branding and packaging it as a premium product. officers said. This dual-firm strategy allowed the accused to circulate the adulterated ghee under different labels and evade detection for a long time. Ghee made from vegetable fat and other adulterants According to food safety officials, the seized ghee was being manufactured using palm oil and other low-grade substances, falsely labelled and sold as pure cow ghee. During the initial inspection, we found that the ghee was mixed with palm oil and other ingredients but packed as pure ghee. The manufacturing equipment, raw materials, and packaging machines have also been seized. officers said. Samples from the unit have been sent to the State Food Testing Laboratory in Bhopal. The total market value of the seized ghee is estimated at around Rs18 lakh. Strict legal action will be taken after laboratory confirmation of adulteration. Earlier raids in this month The raid is part of a broader anti-adulteration campaign intensified to ensure safe and hygienic food products in the market. Just days earlier, the food safety officers had seized over 3,000 kilograms of adulterated mawa and ghee from two buses arriving from Gwalior and Ahmedabad.
The raid, led by food safety officer Avashesh Agrawal, took place near Piplihana Square. Officials found 16 sacks of mawa, about one tonne of ghee, and hundreds of kilograms of sweet mawa being transported for distribution to local sweet shops. The consignment, valued between Rs8 and Rs10 lakh, was sealed and sent for testing to the Bhopal laboratory. Unlicensed sweets also seized Earlier this month, food safety officials seized 2,754 kilograms of unlicensed sweets worth Rs6.9 lakh from Ahuja Milk Products in Prem Nagar. The seized sweets, including Rajwadi Sweets and Krishna Halwa, were sourced from Gujarat’s Shri Krishna Barfi Sweets and lacked valid licenses and mandatory labelling. In another raid, the department confiscated 600 kilograms of unclaimed sweets from an auto-rickshaw near Sarvate Bus Stand. The driver was unable to produce ownership details, and the items were seized pending investigation. Collector’s warning and ongoing action Collector Shivam Verma has directed food safety officers to maintain strict vigilance during the festive season.
Officials confirmed that the department is conducting daily surprise inspections of sweet manufacturing units, transport vehicles, and dairy products across Indore. Authorities warned that strict legal and criminal action will be initiated against anyone found guilty of food adulteration, misbranding, or selling unsafe products.