The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food licence of Ayub's, a popular eatery in Mumbai's Fort area, following an inspection that found multiple food safety and hygiene violations.
The action was taken under the guidance of Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, after an inspection of the establishment was conducted on August 22, 2026. The FDA said the licence was suspended with effect from August 23.
According to the FDA, inspectors found serious deficiencies in the restaurant's food safety controls. These included inadequate facilities for temperature control, improper storage of high-risk food such as eggs at room temperature and failure to keep raw and cooked food products properly segregated.
The inspection also found unsanitary conditions in food-handling areas, open and poorly maintained drains, stagnant water and the presence of houseflies. The FDA also flagged deficiencies in pest-control measures and facilities for maintaining personal hygiene among food-handling workers.
The restaurant was also found to have shortcomings in food testing and in maintaining records and systems required for food traceability.
The FDA said the combined nature of the violations pointed to serious weaknesses in the establishment's basic food safety systems. It warned that such conditions could increase the risk of microbial contamination, cross-contamination and unsafe food reaching consumers.
In particular, the regulator highlighted the improper storage of eggs and other perishable food products. Failure to maintain prescribed temperatures can allow microorganisms to multiply and increase the risk of food-borne illnesses, it said.
The action against Ayub's was part of a wider enforcement drive by the Maharashtra FDA. On August 24, the regulator inspected 37 hotels, restaurants and dhabas across the state, issued 31 improvement notices and suspended four food licences.
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In Nagpur, the licences of Burhampur Jalebi Center and Step In Restaurant were also suspended over food safety and hygiene violations. The licence of Sankalp Mahila Audyogik Utpadak Sahakari Sanstha in Kurla was suspended with immediate effect.
The FDA also seized 4,317 kg of food products worth Rs 7.27 lakh from an unlicensed business in Pune over suspected quality and labelling violations. In Yawal, Jalgaon, 396.8 kg of suspected adulterated loose soybean oil was seized and samples were sent for laboratory testing.
In Nagpur, 55,996 kg of roasted arecanut valued at Rs 2.24 crore was seized from Gourish Agro. Across Pune, Nashik and Nagpur, the FDA said a total of 60,709.8 kg of food stock worth Rs 2.25 crore was seized during the enforcement action.
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