Maharashtra FDA suspends licenses of Radio Club, McDonald's outlet in south Mumbai

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licences of the Bombay Presidency Radio Club and a McDonald's outlet in south Mumbai, along with 11 other food establishments throughout the state, for alleged violations of food safety.

Key points

• Other establishments in Mumbai that faced suspension included Bajrang Sweet Mart in Santacruz West and ASM Hotels and Hospitality Services Pvt Ltd in Andheri West.
• Outside Mumbai, the FDA suspended the licences of Du Brothers Shawarma in Nagpur, Avanti Snacks in Nashik and Pintu Yadav Sweets in Amravati.
• Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd's McDonald's Family Restaurant kiosk at Metro House in Colaba additionally faced immediate suspension of its FSSAI licence.
• Status Restaurant at Nariman Point faced immediate suspension on Thursday after a customer complaint.
• The FDA additionally suspended the registration certificate of Khar Gymkhana in Khar West after allegedly finding serious hygiene and food safety violations.

For context, the FDA has been in the spotlight since IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe took charge as its commissioner in May and introduced a crackdown on food establishments identified violating laws and regulations.

In a recent special drive, the FDA inspected 89 hotels, restaurants and dhabas throughout the state, issuing improvement notices to 71 establishments and suspending the licences of 13, an official release stated.

During an inspection on August 19, Radio Club recorded a non-compliance rate of 47%, and was ordered to stop all purchase, sale and distribution of food during the suspension period, the release remarked.

Authorities allegedly identified plenty of live flies and dead cockroaches in the club's kitchen. They additionally identified peeling paint and plaster on the ceiling above food preparation areas, washing powder and other chemicals stored close to food items, food kept directly on the floor and unclean refrigerators applied for non-vegetarian food.

In practice, the inspection additionally identified improper thawing of food and an inadequately sealed kitchen door that could allow pests and contaminants to enter. While spitting marks were additionally identified on the premises, the FDA noted, garbage bins were placed near cooking stoves.

Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd's McDonald's Family Restaurant kiosk at Metro House in Colaba additionally faced immediate suspension of its FSSAI licence. During a reinspection on August 19, authorities identified that 18 of the 20 deficiencies listed in an earlier improvement notice had not been rectified, the FDA noted.

In practice, the FDA allegedly discovered uncalibrated refrigeration equipment, live cockroaches, a lack of pest traps, rotting food waste on the kitchen floor, dirty cleaning cloths and dust-covered light fixtures without protective shields. Employees were additionally allegedly identified handling ready-to-eat food without washing their hands after handling dirty footwear and soiled cleaning cloths.

Food safety drive: Maharashtra FDA suspends licences of 14 Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart outletsMaharashtra FDA suspends licences of four Domino's outlets over hygiene violations The FDA remarked the outlet had submitted a 148-page compliance report on August 12. Nevertheless, the reinspection identified that most of the serious deficiencies remained.

Authorities additionally allegedly discovered the apply of a processed non-dairy or analogue preparation, "GO Cheese SAUCE", despite claims displayed to customers regarding the apply of real cheese and paneer.

Ingenious Kitchens Pvt Ltd. It operates Novaara restaurant in Malad, additionally had its food business licence suspended after the FDA identified that 14 of 25 serious deficiencies listed in an earlier improvement notice remained unresolved during a reinspection on August 13.

In practice, the deficiencies at Novaara included the employ of old kitchen utensils and equipment that did not conform to food safety standards, a lack of grease and cockroach traps in the drainage line, and inadequate medical examination records for food handlers.

Status Restaurant at Nariman Point faced immediate suspension on Thursday after a customer complaint. The FDA discovered, among other lapses, an employee washing his face directly over clean food utensils, causing wastewater to splash onto them.

Authorities additionally discovered employees working without complete personal protective equipment, dirty crockery, stagnant water, grease and oil deposits, rust and food waste, the release remarked.

In practice, the FDA additionally suspended the registration certificate of Khar Gymkhana in Khar West after allegedly finding serious hygiene and food safety violations.

In practice, the inspection discovered inadequate storage arrangements, poor cleanliness in food preparation areas, inadequate segregation of raw and prepared food, a lack of hot water for washing utensils and improper thawing of frozen food.

In practice, the FDA additionally suspended the food business licences of three establishments in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Parbhani — Chhappan Bhog Thali Restaurant and Banquet Hall, MHARO Gayatri Mewad Pvt Ltd and Star Bakery — for sanitation and food safety violations.

Shah Rukh, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff obtain FDA notices over Vimal Elaichi ad; asked to explain in 15 daysBombay HC directs Maharashtra FDA to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to Pune sweets shop.

For now, maharashtra FDA suspends licenses of Radio Club, McDonald' s outlet in south Mumbai remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.