Maharashtra FDA suspends licences of two more food establishments in Mumbai

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food licences of two establishments in Mumbai and proposed action against two others for alleged violations of food safety, hygiene and health standards, an official release said on Wednesday.

Inspections found several lapses at these establishments including inadequate storage facilities, poor personal hygiene, deficient pest-control measures, improper food storage and shortcomings in food safety records, it said.

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The authority led by high-profile IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe suspended with immediate effect the licence of Eatclub Brands Private Limited, located at Royal Palms, Aarey Milk Colony under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

FDA inspectors allegedly found inadequate storage facilities for food, packaging material, chemicals and employees' belongings, insufficient hand-washing and hygiene facilities, inadequate ventilation and pest-control measures, and failure to properly inspect and clean raw materials.

The establishment also lacked required protective equipment for food handlers, had questionable annual medical examination records for employees and did not have an adequate mechanism for addressing consumer complaints, the FDA said. Its food licence was suspended with immediate effect from September 2, the order said.

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The FDA also suspended the licence of Rani Diets Consultant and Service Providers in Jari Mari, Kurla West, after inspectors allegedly detected rodent infestation, unhygienic food preparation and storage areas, stagnant water and improper waste disposal.

Raw meat and other high-risk food items were allegedly found stored uncovered in refrigerators/freezers, while food was not properly labelled or dated. Inspectors also found inadequate temperature controls, poor personal hygiene among food handlers and deficiencies in cooking, reheating and cooling records, the FDA said.

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The establishment had no records of periodic internal or external food-safety audits, while several mandatory food safety documents and records were incomplete or unavailable, hence the license was suspended with immediate effect from September 2, the FDA said.

In the case of Goodluck Bakery and Stores in Chembur, the FDA has initiated action to suspend its FSSAI licence after an inspection allegedly found widespread non-compliance. Deficiencies included inadequate storage, pest-proofing, water testing, sanitation, temperature control, waste disposal, protective clothing and employee health records, the release claimed.

Similarly, suspension proceedings have been proposed against Ashfaque Bakery in Chembur for alleged lapses in storage, pest control, water testing, food packaging, temperature control, personal hygiene, medical records, training and food safety audits.