CFIA is assessing whether a Mumbai relabelling racket poses any risk to Canadian food imports, with no evidence yet of entry into Canada.
Raided goods included PepsiCo, Nestle, Coca-Cola and Unilever products with fake expiry dates and nutrition labels, one bearing a bilingual format matching Canadian norms.
Maharashtra FDA has flagged the case to relevant authorities to probe the 19 exporters allegedly linked to the operation.
Canada Assesses Risk To India Imports After Maharashtra FDA Raid Exposes Fake Labels
CFIA said it was "monitoring the situation to determine whether it presents any risk to imports into Canada," adding that it currently has no information suggesting any of the affected products reached Canadian markets
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is examining whether an illegal relabelling operation uncovered in Mumbai poses any risk to food products entering Canada, as per a Reuters report.
Indian authorities raided a warehouse in Mumbai last week and seized goods worth close to $80,000, along with chemicals and printing equipment used to alter expiry dates and nutrition labels. The products involved belonged to companies including PepsiCo, Nestle, Coca-Cola and Unilever, and were allegedly being prepared for export.
In a statement to Reuters, the CFIA said it was "monitoring the situation to determine whether it presents any risk to imports into Canada," adding that it currently has no information suggesting any of the affected products reached Canadian markets. The agency said it treats food fraud, including false date markings, incorrect nutrition details and misleading origin claims, as a serious matter. CFIA is the first foreign regulator to respond publicly to the case.
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Bilingual Label Found On Seized Packet
According to a Reuters report, a packet of PepsiCo's Kurkure puffed chips carrying a fake label with nutrition information printed in both English and French, a format similar to what Canadian labelling rules require. Canada mandates that food labels display such details in both languages.
Indian officials said the products being relabelled at the site were either expired or close to their expiry dates. According to officials, the warehouse operators were working on behalf of 19 relatively unknown exporters, though it remains unclear which countries the goods were meant for.
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, who led the raid, told Reuters that authorities have shared their findings with the relevant agencies, who will investigate the exporters involved further.
The CFIA said that when non-compliant food products are identified, it can take steps such as removing products from the market, suspending licences and imposing monetary penalties.
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