Indian official gains fame by cracking down on food safety
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Tukaram Mundhe, the Food Safety Commissioner of Maharashtra state in India, gained over 3.8 million Instagram followers by aggressively inspecting food businesses and publicizing violations.
Mundhe began a large-scale inspection campaign in May, targeting restaurants, cafes, and food businesses across the state after data revealed widespread issues with food safety. A report to parliament showed that nearly 20% of 223,808 food samples tested across India between 2025 and 2026 did not meet standards.
Mundhe’s agency conducted over 4,000 inspections, suspending approximately 300 licenses and issuing over 1,000 notices requiring corrections. He banned the use of old newspapers for food packaging, synthetic colors, and imitation cheese, and increased safety measures around schools. He also launched a complaint portal that received more than 16,000 reports in three months. While consumers welcomed his efforts, business owners and the judiciary reacted negatively to his methods.
Restaurant associations accused him of ignoring legal procedures, and courts found that he sometimes overstepped his authority. Despite facing legal challenges and a court order to pay damages to one confectionery, Mundhe continued inspections, even at the Bombay High Court canteen, and maintained that his actions were lawful and aimed at protecting public health.
