FSDA probes find unsafe chemicals in Belagavi jaggery units, issues warnings
Food and Drug Administration officers in Belagavi, India, have identified 15 'khandsari' jaggery units using harmful chemicals like dyes to artificially color their products. Authorities have issued warnings and registered cases against violators to protect public health.
Why it matters
The use of unauthorized chemicals in food production poses significant long-term health risks, including liver and kidney damage, necessitating stricter regulatory oversight of small-scale food processing units.
Food and Drug Administration officers inspected ‘khandsari’ (backyard jaggery units) in various towns and villages in Belagavi district and found that some of them were using chemicals that could be considered harmful or unsafe for human consumption.
Officers have issued notices and warnings and asked the makers not to bring the suspect goods to the market.
A team of officers led by Shravan Nayk, the designated FSDA officer and food safety officers H.S. Harish and Lokesh Ganur, among others, conducted inspections between January and September 2026. At least 15 units were found to be using unsafe chemicals. These were triggered by complaints from some consumers about the mixing of chemicals in jaggery units. The Belagavi district has an estimated 1,100 khandsari units in its 14 taluks.
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