FSSAI Notices JW Marriott and Andaz Aerocity Over Food Safety Violations in Delhi

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to two five-star hotels in Delhi’s Aerocity following inspections that identified multiple food safety, hygiene and compliance violations. The properties named by the regulator are JW Marriott, operated by Aria Hotels and Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd, and Andaz Aerocity, operated by Juniper Hotels Pvt Ltd.

The inspections covered food preparation, storage, pest control, sanitation, licensing, labelling and food-handling practices. FSSAI officials collected food samples from both hotels, with further regulatory action expected to follow the laboratory test results.

At JW Marriott, inspectors reported inadequate pest-control measures, including cockroaches and fruit flies, along with deficiencies in the maintenance of food preparation and storage areas. FSSAI said it found "serious hygiene and sanitation deficiencies, including unclean utensils and food-contact surfaces, visible particulate matter in drinking water, inadequate pest control, cockroaches and fruit flies, and poor maintenance of food premises."

The inspection also identified spoiled food and products showing fungal growth, uncovered food items and storage-related concerns. According to FSSAI, "These included fungal growth on apples, rotten tomatoes, uncovered food, damaged storage containers, inadequate vegetarian/non-vegetarian segregation, improperly stored cut vegetables and food products not maintained as per prescribed storage conditions."

The regulator also flagged deficiencies across the Chinese, Indian, Italian and bakery kitchens at the property. These included pest infestation, non-functioning exhaust systems, inadequate sanitation, poor allergen segregation, damaged storage containers and issues with food identification and storage.

Further observations were made at the hotel's water bottling facility, dry store, coffee shop and vegetable preparation section. FSSAI reported a rusting drinking-water storage tank, labelling issues involving imported food products, poor sanitation and fruit-fly infestation.

The regulator said, "The overall inspection revealed deficiencies relating to licensing/KOB compliance, labelling, food storage, temperature control, sanitation, pest control, personal hygiene, cross-contamination prevention, allergen management, traceability, maintenance and potable water."

FSSAI also identified licensing-related issues involving certain food products and activities. Paneer, khoya, chana masala and chilli were reportedly found without the requisite licence or appropriate endorsement available for verification. The hotel was also found carrying out retail and re-labeller activities without the required endorsement on its FSSAI licence, including the retailing of food products under the JW Marriott brand name.

Labelling issues were also reported in pre-packaged food products. FSSAI said, "Labelling deficiencies were observed in pre-packaged food products, including misprinted FSSAI licence numbers and non-declaration of the complete manufacturer's address." The regulator also noted that the FSSAI licence was not displayed prominently on the premises.

At Andaz Aerocity, the inspection identified what FSSAI described as "several serious food safety and hygiene deficiencies, including improper segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, pest activity, poor sanitation, inadequate food handler hygiene and improper food storage practices".

Inspectors reportedly found expired food products, including about 87 kg of expired sweets, an expired cake base and bread packets. The inspection also identified inadequate temperature monitoring, allergen segregation issues, poor waste management, structural and maintenance deficiencies, and gaps in supplier verification and receiving practices.

FSSAI officials collected regulatory and surveillance samples from the hotel, including cow ghee, veg mayonnaise, creamy coconut milk powder, honey twigs, yellow masoor dal, tomato sauce, orange marmalade and coconut cookies for laboratory analysis.

The inspection at Andaz also found active cockroaches around freezers, houseflies and mosquitoes in the grinding room and spider webs on the premises. A 'gutka' packet was also reportedly found inside the bottling plant area. The regulator further observed duplicate date-marking on expired bread packaging, severe unpleasant odours and chillers positioned directly between two bathrooms, with exhaust venting into the chiller section.

FSSAI has directed the hotel company to take immediate corrective measures against the identified non-compliances and submit a compliance report at the earliest, supported by relevant evidence.

The notices come as FSSAI continues to increase scrutiny of food business operators and e-commerce platforms over food safety, labelling, licensing and advertising-related compliance. Further action against the two hotels will be determined after the laboratory reports for the samples collected during the inspections.