54 boxes of a popular kaju katli brand were pulled off the shelf at a Reliance Retail outlet in Buldhana — but here's the one detail most headlines are leaving out.
If you've bought packaged mithai from a big retail chain recently, this story is worth your attention. The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized a batch of Laxmi Narayan Kaju Katli from a Reliance Retail outlet after a customer complained of fungus and live larvae inside the box. It's a serious allegation — but it's also, at this stage, still just that: an allegation under investigation. Here's the full, verified timeline, what the FDA has actually confirmed so far, and what happens next.
What Actually Happened, Step By Step
The case began with a consumer complaint about packaged kaju katli sold under the Laxmi Narayan brand at a Reliance Retail outlet inside ARD Cinemall in Buldhana district. The complaint alleged fungal growth and live larvae inside the sealed box.
Acting on the complaint, FDA officials carried out a surprise inspection at the outlet on 8 August 2026. What they found was more complicated than a simple "contaminated sweets" story:
- The exact batch named in the complaint (Batch SL-04), manufactured on 29 May and due to expire on 29 August, was not present at the store during the inspection.
- Officials instead found a different batch (SL-09), manufactured on 20 July and valid until 20 October, still on the shelves.
- As a precaution, the FDA collected a sample from Batch SL-09 for laboratory testing and seized the remaining stock: 54 boxes weighing 11.34 kg, valued at roughly ₹10,238.
| Detail | Batch SL-04 (complaint batch) | Batch SL-09 (seized batch) |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing date | 29 May 2026 | 20 July 2026 |
| Expiry date | 29 August 2026 | 20 October 2026 |
| Found during inspection? | No | Yes — seized |
| Lab-confirmed contamination? | Not tested | Pending result |
Here's The Part Everyone's Skipping: Nothing Is "Confirmed" Yet
This distinction matters. A consumer complaint triggers an investigation — it isn't proof by itself. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the FDA's next move (legal notice, penalty, recall, or no action at all) will be decided once the laboratory result on Batch SL-09 comes back. Until then, describing the sweets as "confirmed contaminated" would be jumping the gun.
It's also worth noting what this case is not. Unlike some retail food-safety actions that come with an immediate licence suspension, there's no public record so far of the Buldhana Reliance Retail outlet's food licence being suspended over this complaint. The regulatory action, at this point, is limited to the sample seizure and pending test.
It's Not Just Reliance — Maharashtra's FDA Is On A Wider Crackdown
This case didn't happen in isolation. It surfaced in the same week the Maharashtra FDA, under its new commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, ramped up enforcement across retail and quick-commerce food outlets. A day earlier, on 7 August, FDA officers inspecting a Blinkit "dark store" run by Blink Commerce Pvt Ltd in Malad West, Mumbai, found large-scale cockroach infestation, poor cold-storage practices and expired or tampered stock — serious enough that the facility's food licence was suspended with immediate effect.
Compared to that, the Reliance Retail case is currently a narrower one: one product, one outlet, one sample under review. But together, the two cases show a state regulator that's actively pursuing complaints against big, familiar retail names rather than only small, unbranded vendors — a shift consumers in Maharashtra are likely to notice more often in the coming months.
Has Reliance Retail Responded?
As of this article's last update, Reliance Retail had not issued a public statement addressing the complaint or the seizure. If that changes, this article will be updated. In the meantime, questions about how Batch SL-04 — the batch actually named in the original complaint — went missing from the shelf before the inspection remain unanswered.
How To Check Packaged Sweets Before You Buy Them
Whatever the lab report eventually says, this is a good moment to build a few habits when buying packaged mithai from any retailer — not just this one:
- Check the manufacturing and expiry dates printed on the box, not just the "best before" claim on the front label.
- Inspect the seal. A box that looks re-taped, punctured, or loosely sealed is a red flag, even if the sweets look fine.
- Avoid boxes displayed near direct sunlight, heaters, or the front of the store window — heat speeds up spoilage in dairy- and ghee-based sweets.
- Look and smell before eating — any white/green fuzz, sour smell, or unusual texture means the box should be returned, not consumed.
- Keep the receipt and packaging until you're sure the product is fine, in case you need to file a complaint.
If you do spot something suspicious in a packaged food product, Maharashtra residents can report it directly to the FDA on its toll-free helpline 1800-222-365 or by email at jc-foodhq@gov.in, or file a complaint on the national FSSAI consumer grievance portal at foscos.fssai.gov.in/consumergrievance.
The Bottom Line
Maharashtra's FDA has seized 54 boxes (11.34 kg) of Laxmi Narayan Kaju Katli worth around ₹10,238 from a Reliance Retail outlet in Buldhana, after a consumer alleged fungus and live larvae in the packaged sweet. The exact batch named in the complaint wasn't found on-site; a different, later batch was sampled and pulled instead. No laboratory result has been made public yet, and the outlet's licence has not been reported suspended. The case is very much still open — the lab report on Batch SL-09 will decide what, if anything, happens next.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly happened with Reliance Retail's kaju katli?
A consumer complained that Laxmi Narayan brand kaju katli bought from a Reliance Retail outlet in Buldhana, Maharashtra, contained fungus and live larvae. The FDA inspected the store on 8 August 2026, couldn't find the exact batch named in the complaint, but seized 54 boxes of a different batch of the same product for testing.
Has the FDA confirmed the sweets were contaminated?
No. As of now, the FDA has only stated that a sample was collected and sent for laboratory analysis. There is no public confirmation of larvae or fungus in the seized batch — that will depend on the lab report.
How much kaju katli did the FDA seize?
The FDA seized 54 boxes weighing a combined 11.34 kg, with an estimated value of about ₹10,238.
Was the Reliance Retail outlet's licence suspended?
No, not based on currently available reports. This is different from a separate case the same week, where the FDA suspended the food licence of a Blinkit facility in Mumbai over cockroach infestation and hygiene violations.
What happens next in this case?
The seized sample will undergo laboratory testing. If it's found non-compliant with food-safety standards, the FDA can initiate further action against the retailer and/or manufacturer under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. If it passes, the matter may be closed without further penalty.
Did Reliance Retail respond to the allegations?
As of this article's last update, Reliance Retail had not issued a public statement on the complaint or the seizure.
How can I report a similar food safety issue in Maharashtra?
You can call the Maharashtra FDA's toll-free helpline at 1800-222-365, email jc-foodhq@gov.in, or file a complaint online through the FSSAI consumer grievance portal at foscos.fssai.gov.in/consumergrievance. Keep the receipt, packaging, and photos of the product handy when you complain.
Is this the only recent food safety action by Maharashtra's FDA?
No. It's part of a broader enforcement push under the FDA's new commissioner, which in the same week also led to the licence suspension of a Blinkit dark store in Mumbai over unrelated hygiene violations.
Sources & Further Reading
- Outlook Business — Live Larvae, Cockroach Infestation: What FDA Found In Blinkit and Reliance Retail Outlets
- ETV Bharat — FDA Finds 'Roach Infestation' At Blinkit Store; Reliance Retail Outlet Under Lens Over Worms In Sweet
- Indian Food Times — Maharashtra FDA Seizes 11.34 Kg Kaju Katli From Reliance Retail Outlet After Complaint of Fungus
- NDTV Profit — Reliance Retail Unit In Maharashtra Under FDA Scrutiny After Fungus, Live Larvae In Kaju Katli