Maharashtra food safety officials have uncovered an alleged operation involving expired and near-expiry packaged food products with altered manufacturing dates, expiry dates and nutrition labels at a warehouse in Navi Mumbai.
The six-day investigation led authorities to seize products worth nearly $80,000 from the facility, where officials allegedly found chemicals used to erase original dates and machines capable of printing replacement information on food packaging.
The products found at the warehouse included well-known brands belonging to PepsiCo, Nestle, Unilever and Coca-Cola. Officials reportedly discovered nearly 5,000 cartons of consumer products stored across four rooms at the facility.
The warehouse, operated by privately owned Sadhana Enterprises, was located in an industrial area of Navi Mumbai, around 25 kilometres from Mumbai's international airport.
Among the products reportedly found during the investigation were PepsiCo's Lay's and Kurkure, Nestle's Maggi Masala Noodles, Unilever's Knorr Mushroom Soup and Hellmann's Mayonnaise, along with Coca-Cola products including Thums Up and Limca.
Officials said several Maggi and Kurkure packets, along with Thums Up cans, appeared to have had their original manufacturing and expiry dates removed.
Many of the products were either already expired or close to their expiry dates, according to officials involved in the investigation.
The alleged operation involved removing the original manufacturing and expiry information from product packaging before printing new dates in their place.
Officials reportedly found a chemical solvent at the warehouse that was allegedly used to erase the original information printed on packets and cans.
According to police documents, new manufacturing and expiry dates were allegedly entered into a computer using a stylus before workers printed replacement information onto the packaging using specialised equipment.
Authorities said the original dates had allegedly been scratched out or erased before new manufacturing and expiry details were printed.
The investigation also uncovered allegations of altered product labels designed to prepare some of the goods for export markets.
Officials reportedly found fake nutrition labels pasted over original packaging on several products.
One Maggi carton allegedly carried a replacement label identifying the product as a "Product of India" intended for export.
A Kurkure packet reportedly carried a bilingual nutrition label in English and French, indicating that some of the products may have been prepared for overseas markets.
The altered label allegedly changed ingredient information, calorie details and serving size, apparently to match regulatory requirements in foreign markets.
Authorities also found products carrying manufacturing dates that had not yet arrived at the time of the inspection.
According to Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration officials, some products were allegedly reprinted with a manufacturing date of October 2, 2026.
The stock discovered at the Navi Mumbai warehouse was reportedly intended for export, although authorities had not immediately identified the countries where the products were expected to be sent.
The owner of Sadhana Enterprises reportedly told authorities that the work was being carried out on behalf of 19 lesser-known exporters.
The police case has not accused PepsiCo, Nestle, Unilever or Coca-Cola of any wrongdoing in connection with the alleged activities at the warehouse.
Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration chief Tukaram Mundhe described the alleged operation as systematic and raised concerns about accountability across the supply chain.
The case has drawn attention to the responsibility of companies, exporters, distributors and other entities involved in the handling and sale of packaged food products.
The investigation remains significant because it focuses not only on expired food products but also on allegations that key information, including expiry dates and nutrition labels, was altered before products were prepared for overseas markets.
Further action will depend on the findings of Maharashtra food safety authorities and the ongoing police investigation into the alleged packaging and relabelling operation.
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