The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) deserves credit for its recent crackdown on unsafe food in Goa. The seizure and destruction of nearly 6,000 kilograms of uncertified and decomposing poultry, including meat brought into Margao railway station without proper temperature control, as well as unlabelled stock found dumped in cold storage facilities in Verna, are steps in the right direction. The department's festive-season inspections across Bardez and the coastal belt are equally commendable. Several unhygienic manufacturing units were shut down, while adulterated sweets, farsan and heavily coloured tandoori preparations were seized and destroyed. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane's firm warning that offenders would face prosecution, coupled with his zero-tolerance stance, is welcome.
However, while the crackdown deserves appreciation, it should not create the impression that Goa's food safety problem is under control. In a State where tourism drives much of the economy, ensuring that food served to people is safe is a huge responsibility. Goa's hospitality sector includes thousands of restaurants, beach shacks, roadside eateries and small food vendors, many of whom remain outside the FDA's regular inspection network. Tightening surveillance at railway stations may disrupt illegal consignments temporarily, but it can also push unscrupulous traders towards road transport. The bigger concern is what happens after the initial crackdown, when public attention moves on, and enforcement begins to lose momentum.
Compliance, like in other areas, continues to be a serious problem in Goa. Despite clear instructions and a four-day deadline requiring establishments to disclose the use of analogue paneer and other dairy substitutes on menus and signboards, the majority of restaurants appear to be failing in compliance. Fish testing for formalin is another area where the response remains largely unpredictable.
Much of the problem stems from limitations within the enforcement machinery itself. Goa's FDA is struggling with severe staff shortages, the dual responsibility of regulating food safety and pharmaceuticals, and inadequate access to rapid-testing laboratory facilities. With limited personnel and resources, inspectors simply cannot maintain a regular presence across every part of the State. As a result, the department is often pushed into crisis management, responding to violations after they come to light.
Goa could pick a few lessons from neighbouring Maharashtra, particularly from the enforcement drive led by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. Taking charge in May 2026, Mundhe adopted an approach that went well beyond seasonal inspections and raids on easy targets. Within just 100 days, his teams reportedly carried out more than 900 targeted raids, inspected over 3,000 establishments and sealed 322 eateries. No establishment was spared, whether it was a well-known Mumbai restaurant, a major international fast-food chain or a quick-commerce dark store found storing expired products or operating in unhygienic conditions.
The larger lesson from this approach is that businesses know that inspections can happen at any time, regardless of their reputation, size or influence. Enforcement must be impartial, sustained and firm enough to make violations a serious risk for every operator. Goa does not necessarily have to replicate Maharashtra's campaign in its entirety, but it must adopt the same sense of urgency and consistency.
The FDA deserves recognition for acting decisively, but the real test lies ahead. These operations must mark the beginning of a sustained effort, not another short-lived campaign that fades once the headlines disappear. Goa needs a food safety system that works every day, in every taluka, and applies the same standards to everyone. Protecting public health must become a permanent culture of accountability.
