Tukaram Mundhe-led Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra has raided Bollywood Café located in Film City, Goregaon East on Friday, August 14 and flagged unhygienic conditions, severe fly infestation, dirty drains, food prepared on rusty, unclean surfaces, NDTV reported.
This comes as FDA conducted state-wide raids in 109 hotels and restaurants and carried out 15 anti-adulteration or banned substance raids, seizing over Rs 46.89 lakh worth of banned gutkha, adulterated dairy, and expired food items. Additionally, licenses of four hotels and restaurants were suspended.
In case of Bollywood Café, th regulator has initiated penal action initiated under Section 69 of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Apart from hotel and restaurants, FDA conducts raids across 86 quick-commerce and online food delivery hubs, inspecting platforms such as Zepto, Blinkit, and Instamart, resulting in 14 license suspensions, 60 improvement notices, and one immediate halt of operations.
License of Blinkit's Malad West unit has been suspended due to chiller temperature abuse (6°C), unorganised storage, lack of medical fitness records for 40 handlers, and unsegregated veg and non-veg stock.
On of the quick commerce platform's Ghatkopar unit failed hygiene parameters and non-compliance notice was served for cockroach infestation, damaged ceilings, flooring, and no food segregation. Meanwhile, delivery operations ordered to stop in Karad, Satara after 125 two-wheeler delivery riders were found without IDs, valid medical fitness records, or FSSAI registration on delivery bags.
The license of Zepto's Lohegaon unit in Pune was suspended due to severe temperature abuse in cold storage, unhygienic premises, and storing food items past their "Use By" expiration dates. A facility in Lokhandwala, Andheri West was flagged for non-compliance notice issued for hazardous chemical proximity to food items and lack of required cold-chain ante-rooms.
A unit in Mulund West, Mumbai failed compliance due to inadequate waste disposal and poor storage temperature management.
FDA cited for severe unhygienic entry points, poor handling areas, and lighting lapses in a Zepto facility in Goregaon East, Mumbai.
Inspections in Instamart's Warje Jakat Naka, Karvenagar, Pune unit revealed active cockroach infestations, broken cold-chain systems, and dangerous hygiene failures, resulting in suspension of license.
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