‘Cockroaches, crumbling ceilings’: FDA suspends McDonald's, Radio Club licences in Mumbai

Restaurants that faced action included the well-known Status Restaurant in Nariman Point, the Bombay Presidency Radio Club and Khar Gymkhana.

The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Friday suspended the licences of seven eateries across the city – including the well-known Status Restaurant in Nariman Point, the Bombay Presidency Radio Club and Khar Gymkhana – for failure to follow pest control and food safety regulations, lack of hygiene and other violations.

The licence of the Colaba outlet of McDonald’s, managed by Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd, was suspended. (File)

Multiple food safety violations

The food licence of Bombay Presidency Radio Club in Colaba was suspended after an inspection on August 19 found significant infestation of live flies in the kitchen along with dead cockroaches and improperly positioned cockroach traps. Portions of deteriorating ceiling paint and plaster were also found hanging over food-preparation areas, posing risk of contamination.

Among other key violations, chemicals meant for cleaning and employees’ clothes were stored near food and utensils, refrigerators used for non-vegetarian food were unclean, and thawing practices were not proper. Kitchen doors were also found inadequately sealed against pests, while garbage bins were located close to cooking stoves.

The licence of the Colaba outlet of McDonald’s, managed by Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd, was suspended as it failed to rectify violations mentioned in earlier improvement notices served by the FDA, such as uncalibrated refrigeration equipment, live cockroaches, inadequate pest traps, decomposing food waste near food-storage areas, use of unclean cloths for mopping. Employees at the eatery had also been found handling ready-to-eat food without washing their hands, immediately after handling soiled footwear and unclean mops.

Apart from violations in food storage and food safety management, the restaurant was also found storing and using processed non-dairy/analogue ingredients, such as cheese sauce containing milk solids and processed emulsifiers, without explicitly declaring so on their menu cards or display boards. The absence of clear information for consumers about such products raised concerns under provisions relating to misbranding and misleading trade practices, the FDA said.

Nariman Point eatery and Khar Gymkhana under heat

The licence of the popular Nariman Point eatery, Status Restaurant at Regent Chamber, managed by Supreme Enterprise, was also suspended over serious hygiene and food-handling violations. Key violations included use of unclean cutlery, stagnant water, heavy grease and oil deposits, rusted vessels and food waste in food-handling areas. Temperature-monitoring records and equipment was inadequate, separation between raw and cooked food and vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items was insufficient and food was stored near hazardous chemicals. One employee was also found washing his face directly over clean utensils, posing risk of contamination.

The registration certificate of Khar Gymkhana was suspended due to inadequate and improper storage facilities for food, packaging materials, chemicals and other items; failure to adequately segregate vegetarian and non-vegetarian food and non-food items; lack of sanitisation before and after cooking; non-availability of hot water for washing vessels; and failure to thaw frozen food in a clean manner.

Other eateries which faced punitive action on Friday were Novaara at Malad West, Bajrang Sweets at Santacruz West, and ASM Hotels and Hospitality Services at Andheri West. The FDA also seized food materials worth ₹56,220 from Dharavi-based savoury manufacturer, Selvapathi Traders, over deficiencies in labelling.