Maharashtra FDA Seizes 50,601.78 Kg Food Stock Worth Rs 1.19 Crore

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended 30 food licences and seized 50,601.78 kg of food stock valued at Rs 1.19 crore during inspections conducted between September 23 and 27 as part of a statewide festive-season food safety drive.

According to the FDA, licences or registration certificates of 13 establishments in Mumbai, six in the Konkan division, eight in Pune division and three in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division were suspended following inspections.

The enforcement action covered restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bakeries, food storage facilities and other establishments. The FDA said the inspections focused on food hygiene, storage, handling, labelling and compliance with food safety requirements.

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the government would continue strict legal action against establishments selling or storing expired, tampered or unhygienically prepared food products.

Among the establishments facing action were Kyani & Co, Colaba Sweet Mart, Arun Vilas Farsan, Ruchi Veg Restaurant, Daffodils Fast Food Inn and Subway.

At Kyani & Co in Kalbadevi, FDA officials reported finding cats, rat droppings, live flies and dead cockroaches in food preparation and storage areas. The inspection also identified blood collected in a refrigerator and an open sewage manhole in the processing section, according to the FDA.

At Colaba Sweet Mart, inspectors reported live cockroaches, lizards, flies and larvae. The establishment was also found to be lacking required pest-control measures, staff medical fitness records and personal protective equipment, the FDA said.

The licences of Arun Vilas Farsan in Dharavi and Ruchi Veg Restaurant in Parel were also suspended over reported hygiene and sanitary deficiencies.

The FDA separately initiated legal action against QSR Brands India, Royal China, Tiffin, United Bakery & Stores, Shree Padmavati Enterprises and Hotel Purandar Vilas for alleged violations under the Food Safety and Standards Act and related provisions.

Daffodils Fast Food Inn in Vile Parle was also found to have hygiene-related deficiencies. According to the FDA, the inspection identified dirty refrigeration equipment, non-functional temperature displays and food stored alongside workers' belongings, following which its licence was suspended.

At an EverSub India Pvt Ltd-operated Subway outlet in Lower Parel, officials reported a faulty refrigerator, a mould-like layer, foul smell and live cockroaches. The FDA subsequently suspended the licence.

The enforcement extended beyond Mumbai. In Thane, within the Konkan division, the FDA suspended licences or registrations of six establishments, including Blink Commerce Pvt Ltd and Foclo Technologies Pvt Ltd (Instamart). The action covered food storage, handling and distribution requirements.

Other establishments covered in the division included Shri Siddhivinayak Foods, Chainess Dot Com, Jyoti Foods and New Golden Even Fresh Bakery.

In Pune division, the FDA suspended the licence of a National Commodities Management Services warehouse at Tanang in Sangli district over unsafe fumigation practices and improper storage.

Legal action was also initiated against Hotel Ashok Sai Niketan, Shivray Foods, Samarth Hospitality Services, Ajinkya Restaurant, Hotel Lokshahi, Hotel Surabhi and Nukkad Restaurant over alleged violations of licence conditions and hygiene provisions.

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, action was taken against Bangalore Bakery in Parbhani, Siddhanath Nagnath Agrovet Farmer Producer Company in Hingoli and Appa Chaha Center in Beed for reported hygiene and sanitation violations.

Food seizures formed another major part of the enforcement drive. The FDA said it seized 6,366.88 kg of food products worth Rs 28.54 lakh in Pune, Kolhapur and Solapur districts. The products included khoa, paneer, ghee, cream, sweets, shrikhand, lassi, coconut oil, farsan, potato wafers and bhadang. Some of the products were suspected to be substandard, adulterated, unsafe or incorrectly labelled.

In the Konkan division, officials seized 23,806.90 kg of food products worth about Rs 39.99 lakh. The seized stock included sev, chivda, gathiya, namkeen, wafers, oils, spices, dry fruits, tea, khoa, sauces, noodles, raw milk and sweets. The inspections covered Thane, Navi Mumbai, Raigad and Sindhudurg.

Milk and milk-based products were also among the products seized during the drive. Specific seizures included 385 kg of khoa and 19 kg of white butter in Pune, along with 909 kg of khoa and 349 kg of paneer at a dairy in Khed. The FDA also reported suspected substandard milk and khoa in the Konkan region.

The enforcement drive also covered establishments and food products in Jalgaon, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur, Bhandara, Chandrapur and Akola.

"In Jalgaon, 7,749.9 kg of food products worth Rs 4.28 lakh were seized, while in Nagpur division food products worth Rs 32.74 lakh were seized or destroyed for unhygienic storage, adulteration, substandard quality, labelling defects and operation without a licence," it said.

The FDA also inspected 26 establishments across Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Sambhajinagar and Nagpur divisions specifically for the storage, sale and distribution of banned food products.

"Banned stock worth Rs 30.63 lakh was seized, 22 FIRs were registered, 30 people were arrested, three establishments were sealed and three vehicles worth Rs 14.80 lakh were seized," as per the statement.

For restaurants, QSRs, bakeries, food manufacturers and food retailers, the enforcement highlights the operational importance of maintaining food storage, refrigeration, pest-control, employee hygiene, labelling and licensing requirements during the festive season.