UP FSDA suspends 73 food licences over safety lapses

According to officials, the action followed inspections of 253 food establishments since the launch of the ‘Shuddh Hi Shubh Hai’ campaign on September 17. The department has issued 152 improvement notices and suspended 73 licences of establishments that failed to comply with its directives. It has also restored 56 licences after verifying corrective measures.

The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (UP FSDA) suspended the licences of 73 food establishments on Thursday for violations including poor hygiene and sanitation, expired food products and inadequate pest control, officials said.

The FSDA said suspended establishments could seek restoration after rectifying deficiencies related to kitchen hygiene, food storage, pest control, sanitation and food handling. (For representation)

According to officials, the action followed inspections of 253 food establishments since the launch of the ‘Shuddh Hi Shubh Hai’ campaign on September 17. The department has issued 152 improvement notices and suspended 73 licences of establishments that failed to comply with its directives. It has also restored 56 licences after verifying corrective measures.

Inspections found expired food products, evidence of rats and cockroaches, dirty kitchens and storage areas, inadequate pest control measures, and poor drainage and sanitation. Inspectors also found shortcomings in food handlers’ personal hygiene, improper storage and handling of food products and, in some cases, the absence of mandatory food-safety records, the department said.

Establishments with correctable deficiencies were issued improvement notices, while those where serious food safety risks were found faced licence suspension and stoppage of operations.

The department also conducted physical re-inspections to verify the claims. Following satisfactory reports and scrutiny at its headquarters, 56 licences were restored, the FSDA said.

FSDA inspector Brijesh Singh said establishments whose shortcomings had not been rectified remained under the improvement process.

“The inspections and subsequent re-inspections are intended to ensure that corrective action is not merely cosmetic or limited to the period immediately preceding an inspection,” he said.

The FSDA said establishments allowed to resume operations would remain subject to further inspections.