Cockroaches in warehouses, food products stored alongside medicines and nutraceuticals, and fungus-infested racks have exposed serious hygiene lapses at online grocery warehouses and quick-commerce dark stores in Uttar Pradesh, prompting a statewide crackdown.
During a special inspection drive, food safety officials inspected 218 establishments, issued 154 improvement notices and suspended the licences of six stores. Operations at the affected establishments were ordered to remain shut until deficiencies were rectified. Eleven food samples were also collected for laboratory testing.
In Lucknow, inspectors found pests, unhygienic conditions and rusted, fungus-infested racks at a dark store in Chinhat. Food products were also stored alongside medicines and nutraceuticals. Its licence was suspended. At two other outlets, frozen meat was found being sold without the requisite licence approval.
In Ghaziabad, officials found dirt, cobwebs, damaged flooring and cockroaches in a warehouse. In Noida, a dark store had rusted racks, a dirty cold room and food products scattered on the floor. Food business in the affected cold room was stopped.
{{/usCountry}}In Ghaziabad, officials found dirt, cobwebs, damaged flooring and cockroaches in a warehouse. In Noida, a dark store had rusted racks, a dirty cold room and food products scattered on the floor. Food business in the affected cold room was stopped.
{{/usCountry}}Inspections in Kanpur revealed refrigeration, storage and labelling violations, including products that breached prescribed best-before requirements.
In Agra, officials seized 273 packets of makhana worth around ₹68,000 over labelling irregularities.
The drive highlights the need for stricter monitoring of warehouses and dark stores to ensure that the convenience of quick-commerce deliveries does not compromise food safety.