Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of 25 food establishments, including six Domino's Pizza outlets in Pune, a hospital kitchen and a college canteen, following inspections that flagged violations of food safety and hygiene standards. The regulator has also suspended the licences of four edible oil and spice manufacturing units with immediate effect.
The action against food establishments covered hotels, restaurants, bakeries, canteens and other food businesses. The suspensions followed violations of Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, according to an FDA press note issued on October 16.
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In a separate statewide enforcement drive targeting suspected substandard, adulterated and incorrectly labelled food products, the FDA seized approximately 81,330 kg of stock worth Rs 1.73 crore from 37 establishments across six divisions.
The seized products included edible oils, chilli and turmeric powders, supari (areca nut), dry fruits, sabudana, bhagar, rajgira, tea powder and sweets. Samples of the seized food articles have been sent for laboratory analysis, with further legal action to follow the results.
Hospital Kitchen, Eateries Under Scanner
Inspections across Mumbai, Konkan, Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar divisions resulted in licence suspensions for establishments found violating food safety regulations.
In Mumbai, seven establishments were affected, including Sophia College Canteen on Bhulabhai Desai Road. At the Sodexo kitchen at Fortis Hospital in Mulund, where meals were being prepared for patients, inspectors found cockroaches, food waste in drainage areas, fungus-infested food transport containers and rusted knives.
Janata Bakery in Jogeshwari East scored just 28 out of 88 marks, or 32%, during its inspection.
At Arihant Aahar (Onyx) in Ghatkopar, an inspection was conducted following a complaint alleging the use of unauthorised artificial food colours in sweets.
The FDA also issued a closure notice to Manmandir Sweets in Borivali East after finding that sweets were being manufactured at an address different from the one mentioned on its registration certificate. Inspectors also reported fly infestation, unclean utensils, missing medical certificates for workers and staff residing at the manufacturing premises.
In Pune, eight establishments faced licence suspensions, including six Domino's Pizza outlets operated by Jubilant FoodWorks.
The inspections reportedly found live cockroaches and cockroach remains, a foul smell emanating from toilets near dining areas, incomplete temperature records and a lack of segregation between vegetarian and non-vegetarian ingredients.
Two establishments in the Konkan division and eight in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division also had their licences suspended.
Edible Oils, Spices And Festive Foods Seized
The FDA's separate food-quality enforcement drive covered products across Mumbai, Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur. The Pune division's action included a special focus on foods commonly consumed during religious fasting.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division accounted for the largest reported seizure by weight, with 37,251 kg of food products worth Rs 48.40 lakh seized. The division also saw the suspension of licences at four manufacturing units.
At Pol Agro Industries in Lasur Station, inspectors seized 9,165 kg of refined soybean oil worth approximately Rs 15.03 lakh. The unit scored 19 out of 86 marks, or 23%, during inspection. Its licence was suspended after the FDA cited the absence of a laboratory test report, a technical person, adequate pest-control arrangements and food-grade packaging certification.
In Dharmabad, Nanded, raids at three factories — Anand Food Product, Janta Industries and Shri Ganesh Mirchi Kandap Kendra — led to the seizure of 25,768 kg of chilli powder, turmeric powder and edible salt worth approximately Rs 28.98 lakh. The FDA said the products were used for adulteration, and the licences of all three units were suspended with immediate effect.
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Other seizures in the division included refined soybean oil, groundnut oil, safflower oil and cold-pressed sunflower oil, with the products suspected of adulteration, poor quality or being packed in unhygienic conditions.
In Nagpur, the FDA seized stock worth Rs 45.75 lakh, including roasted supari, spices, tea powder and kunda. The seized products included 6,178 kg of roasted supari worth approximately Rs 23.17 lakh and 5,077 kg of chilli, turmeric and coriander powders, atta and tea powder worth around Rs 19.31 lakh.
In the Konkan division, seizures worth Rs 31.95 lakh included dry fruits, edible oils and savoury snacks. The FDA cited suspected incorrect labelling and substandard quality in some cases.
Pune division reported seizures worth Rs 36.25 lakh, covering sabudana, bhagar, rajgira, groundnuts, edible oils and wafers. The action covered businesses in Pune, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur.
In Nashik division, food products worth Rs 10.64 lakh were seized, including tea powder, edible oil, sweets and bakery products. The FDA cited suspected misbranding, substandard quality, excess food colouring and unhygienic manufacturing conditions in various cases.
In Mumbai, officials also seized 130 kg of potato and banana wafers, garlic shev, sing bhujia and schezwan sticks worth Rs 22,045 from Shree Sadguru Foods. At Shri Ganesh Farsan and Sweet Mart in Kandivali West, 3 kg of jalebi and Maharaja halwa worth Rs 3,150 were destroyed after food colour was found during inspection.
The regional seizure figures reported in the press note total approximately Rs 1.73 crore. The FDA said samples of all seized food articles had been sent for laboratory analysis and that strict legal action would follow the reports under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Separate Action Against Banned Products
In a separate drive conducted on October 14 and 15, the FDA inspected 13 establishments and vehicles across Mumbai, Pune, Konkan and Nagpur divisions to prevent the sale, storage and transportation of banned food products.
The regulator seized banned food stock worth Rs 18.83 lakh and two vehicles. The total value of the seized property, including the vehicles, exceeded Rs 21.83 lakh. The drive also resulted in 10 FIRs being filed, cases being registered against 10 accused and four establishments being sealed.
In Pune, banned stock worth approximately Rs 5.15 lakh was seized during inspections of six establishments. Six FIRs were filed, six people were arrested and three establishments were sealed.
In the Konkan division, officials seized banned stock worth around Rs 2.03 lakh, filed one FIR, arrested one person and sealed one establishment. In Nagpur, banned stock worth Rs 21,030 was seized and one FIR was filed, with one person arrested.
The FDA said the enforcement action was aimed at preventing the sale, storage and transportation of banned food products across the state.
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