FDA axe falls on Bandra's Otters Club over fake paneer, hygiene lapses; management to appeal

The FDA, for its part, said it found the club stocking analog paneer and hygiene issues like dirty and damaged floor tiles, a partially blocked drain and more.

Restaurant and bar services at Bandra’s elite Otters Club were shut down on Tuesday after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended its food licence for stocking analog paneer and for storing edibles in refrigerators whose doors didn’t shut properly, among other things. The club says it is shocked because the FDA had assigned it 88% compliance after an inspection.

Otters club at Bandra. HT PHOTO BY VIJAYANAND GUPTA 04/11/05

The FDA, for its part, said it found the club stocking analog paneer in addition to hygiene issues like dirty and damaged floor tiles, a partially blocked drain and defective refrigerator gaskets and linings, which prevented refrigerator doors from closing properly, resulting in temperature fluctuations.

The establishment also lacked records for compliances relating to the quality of cooking oil used. The FDA also said the club lacked mandatory information and display boards relating to cooked and ready-to-eat food products.

Ashok Motwani, chief executive officer, Otters Club, told HT that they will appeal the FDA’s action. “We are shocked because the FDA itself marked us 96 out of 110, or 88% compliance – these are the FDA’s own scores for us,” he said. Motwani also said the club’s paneer stock had been sourced from a well-known dairy and the packet mentioned ‘proprietary paneer’, not ‘analog paneer’. “Hence, we can’t understand this and are going to appeal,” said Motwani.

The FDA also suspended the licence of quick commerce platform Zepto in Chembur, following an inspection at its godown on August 12. The regulator found serious deficiencies in hygiene, storage and temperature control.

The FDA also suspended the registration certificate of Prince of Wales Restaurant in Khar west. It found damaged paint and plaster in various places, inadequate waste-disposal arrangements and lack of proper temperature control for hot and cold food.

The FDA axe also fell on Dahisar’s Daily Fresh Bakers & Cakes. Its licence was suspended after the FDA found cakes being prepared on the floor; cockroaches, flies and ants on the premises; an oven with food residue and rust inside; baking trays and utensils that were blackened and unhygienic, among other violations. Although the establishment held only a retail registration, it was carrying out cake manufacturing activities.

The food licence of Café Sifarish at Marol in Andheri east too was suspended for violations relating to utensils, deficiencies in sanitation facilities and changing arrangements for employees, and shortcomings in general cleanliness. The action followed an earlier improvement notice, after which the establishment failed to submit a compliance report within the stipulated period.

Vile Parle’s Raj Oil Trading too had its licence suspended due to violations like inadequate segregation of stored food, chemicals and other potentially hazardous substances. Some oil packets showed scratch marks by rodents.

Across the state, the FDA inspected 11 premises, seized prohibited food products worth ₹99.39 lakh on Tuesday.

“The administration in Maharashtra has a strict role in food quality and law enforcement. We will not tolerate any tampering with the health of the people. Citizens have the right to get pure food. If anyone is found adulterating it or selling, storing or producing banned substances, stricter action is being taken and will continue to be taken in the future,” said Mundhe in a media statement on Tuesday.