Watch: Tukaram Mundhe breaks laddu to inspect quality at Pune Diwali event; video goes viral

At the event, Tukaram Mundhe broke a laddu in half to inspect its quality firsthand

Ahead of Diwali, Tukaram Mundhe, Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, has won the internet's heart once again! To make the festivities healthier for consumers, Mundhe inspected the quality of a laddu by breaking it in his hands at a public function in Pune.

The incident occurred during the launch of a subsidised Diwali snack counter by the Poona Merchants Chamber—aimed at supplying festive snacks and sweets to people of all sections at good quality and an economical cost.

Tukaram Mundhe viral video

At the event, Tukaram Mundhe broke a laddu in half to inspect its quality firsthand. Following the check, he approved the product and confirmed it meets all mandated food safety standards.

How did netizens react?

Social media users lauded Tukaram Mundhe as an honest officer and said the country needs more officers like him.

“Tukaram Mundhe, an honest officer who has started this awareness from Maharashtra within the country,” a user wrote. “A way to check the purity of food and drink items—he can pick up a laddu right now and tell you how much adulteration is in it. This is an introduction to his honesty.”

“The entire country needs strict officers like Tukaram; only then will this adulteration racket come to an end,” another added.

“Awareness related to the purity of food and drink is very essential; people will benefit from such efforts,” a user noted.

“It's truly astonishing— a single person has shown what honesty really means,” another user said.

A sceptical user said, “They don't let such an honest officer last for long.”

FDA guidelines for consumers to choose safe Diwali sweets

With Diwali driving up the demand for festive sweets and snacks, the FDA has issued a safety advisory urging consumers to remain vigilant against adulterated and substandard products.

To ensure food safety, the FDA recommends the following checks:

• Beware of artificial colours: Avoid sweets with unnaturally vibrant hues, particularly motichoor laddoos, which may contain excessive chemical dyes.
• Check the labels: Always verify the manufacturing and expiry dates on packaged items. The FDA mandates that all vendors prominently display these details.
• Inspect for spoilage: Rely on smell and appearance. Watch out for strange odours, stale ingredients, or the taste of rancid oil, especially in high-fat sweets that spoil quickly if mishandled.
• Avoid suspiciously low prices: Do not buy sweets simply because they are heavily discounted. The FDA warned that some sellers repackage and sell expired products at cheaper rates during the festive rush.

Maharashtra FDA seizes 1,190 kg of laddus

Maharashtra FDA has seized approximately 1,190 kg of laddus and other goods worth around ₹1.73 lakh from a manufacturing unit in Pune after detecting excessive food colouring and unhygienic conditions.

Speaking to ANI, FDA official Balaji Shinde said the action was taken at the manufacturing unit in Kondhwa following a tip-off.

“During the event, Tukaram Munde issued a warning, emphasising that strict attention must be paid to the food colouring used in laddus consumed during Diwali, ensuring it remains within prescribed standards,” he said.

Shinde said the FDA raid found excessive food colouring in the products and a lack of proper hygiene standards.

“Acting on this, and following a tip-off, we raided the manufacturing unit of (a) Laddu Bhandar in Kondhwa. We discovered excessive food colouring in the food products, as well as a lack of proper hygiene standards. Samples have been collected, and further action is underway,” he added.

“Samples of both the boondi and the laddus have been taken. A total of 1,190 kg of goods have been seized, with an estimated value of approximately ₹1,73,950,” Shinde said.

About the Author

Arshdeep Kaur is a Senior Content Producer at Mint, where she reports and edits across national and international politics, business and culture‑adjacent trending stories for digital audience. With five years in the newsroom, she strives to balance the speed and rigor of fast‑moving news cycles and longer, context‑rich explainers. <br><br> Before joining LiveMint, Arshdeep served as a Senior Sub‑Editor at Business Standard and earlier as a Sub‑Editor at Asian News International (ANI). Her experience spans live news flows, enterprise features, and multi‑platform packaging. <br><br> At Mint, she regularly writes explainers, quick takes, and visuals‑led stories that are optimized for search and social, while maintaining the publication’s standards for accuracy and clarity. She collaborates closely with editors and the audience team to frame angles that resonate with readers in India and abroad, and to translate complex developments into accessible, high‑impact journalism. <br><br> Arshdeep's academic training underpins her interest towards policy and markets. She earned an MA in Economics from Panjab University and holds a Post‑Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the India Today Media Institute (ITMI). This blend of economics and broadcast storytelling informs her coverage of public policy, elections, macro themes, and the consumer‑internet zeitgeist. <br><br> Arshdeep is based in New Delhi, where she tracks breaking developments and longer‑horizon storylines that shape public discourse.