Mumbai FDA suspends seven food establishments over safety lapses

It is no longer just a warning on the wall or another improvement notice for food businesses in Mumbai. The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun handing out suspension orders when serious food-safety lapses remain unresolved.

The latest crackdown has seen seven Mumbai food establishments face suspension of their food licences or registration, with inspectors flagging everything from pest infestation and poor temperature control to cross-contamination risks and repeated failure to rectify earlier deficiencies.

The FDA has been in the news since IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe took charge as its commissioner in May and launched a crackdown on food establishments found violating various laws and rules.

McDonald’s employees seen handling food after touching cleaning cloths; Officials find old/non-compliant cooking equipment in a Malad restaurant. Pics/By Special Arrangement 

‘We follow food quality standards’

Following the FDA’s action, McDonald’s India released a statement, saying: 
“At McDonald’s, we take pride in maintaining high food safety standards across our restaurants and have a zero-tolerance approach to food safety issues. We respect the regulatory process and are reviewing the observations referenced in the report. McDonald’s follows rigorous food quality, safety, and hygiene standards, in line with regulatory requirements, including the use of real cheese and real paneer in our food. We believe it is important that our practices are accurately understood and represented. Our focus remains on delivering the quality and experience expected from us, every day. Customers have always been welcome to take a kitchen tour and learn more about our food preparation practices.”

Poor personal hygiene

Bajrang Sweet Mart, Santacruz, scored only 40 out of 86 points, or 47 per cent, with damaged flooring, peeling plaster, corroded equipment, inadequate storage, poor personal-hygiene facilities and deficient food testing records. 

At ASM Hotels and Hospitality Services Pvt Ltd, Andheri West, the FDA found violations of prescribed Schedule-4 requirements relating to hygiene, food handling, storage and maintenance, resulting in suspension of its food business licence. 

The action is part of a larger two-day drive. Across Maharashtra, the FDA inspected 89 hotels, restaurants and dhabas, issued 71 improvement notices and suspended 13 food licences.

Khar Gymkhana

At Khar Gymkhana, inspectors found inadequate storage, poor kitchen hygiene, improper segregation of raw and cooked food, lack of hot water for utensil washing, unsafe thawing of frozen food, non-compliance with FIFO/FEFO, inadequate temperature control, and missing grease and cockroach traps. Its registration certificate was suspended.

FDA finds 18 deficiencies 

During a reinspection on August 19 at the McDonald’s kiosk operated by Hardcastle Restaurants at Metro House, Colaba, 18 of the 20 deficiencies pointed out in an earlier “Improvement Notice” had still not been rectified.

The FDA also found uncalibrated refrigeration equipment, live cockroaches, food waste near food-handling areas, unprotected light fixtures and employees handling ready-to-eat food after touching dirty footwear and cleaning cloths. Following this, its FSSAI licence was suspended.

‘Serious deficiencies’

The FDA also took action against Ingenious Kitchens Pvt Ltd (Novaara), Malad, where 14 of 25 “serious deficiencies” remained unresolved during a re-inspection. Officials cited old/non-compliant cooking equipment; absence of grease and cockroach traps; deficient medical examination records and food safety training and certification documentation.

Cross-contamination risk

At Status Restaurant in Nariman Point, the action followed a consumer complaint. Inspectors found an employee washing his face over clean utensils, splashing wastewater onto them, along with dirty cutlery, stagnant water, heavy grease, corrosion, food waste and inadequate temperature monitoring. Raw, cooked, vegetarian, and non-vegetarian food was also not properly segregated, creating a cross-contamination risk. 

* This article was originally published here