MMRDA canteen, more eateries shut in FDA sweep

The FDA also shut two hostel messes of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-B), Powai, and issued an improvement notice to a third mess

MUMBAI: The FDA’s crackdown on food safety has led to action against more eateries and canteens, including the canteen at the MMRDA office at the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). The food safety regulator also suspended the FSSAI Iicence of some popular restaurants, one in Dadar and others in the suburbs.

MMRDA canteen, more eateries shut in FDA sweep

On Thursday, the agency issued the MMRDA canteen a stop-business notice, served on an establishment operating without a food licence. The FDA also shut two hostel messes of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-B), Powai, and issued an improvement notice to a third mess.

While the messes of Hostel No 1 and 3 were issued stop-business notices, the mess at Hostel 12/13/14 was found to have licensing lapses and was served an improvement notice, according to FDA officials.

Of the hotels, restaurants and canteens inspected between August 4 and 6 in Mumbai, four had their FSSAI licences suspended after inspectors reported serious lapses in hygiene and food safety. All four establishments have been temporarily shut. Among them is Eat Nino in Dadar, where officials found houseflies besides poor personal hygiene among food handlers, according to the regulator.

At Jai Maa Kali Dhaba in Andheri (west), the FDA team found plywood storage racks in poor condition, food stored near toilets, rusty shelves, unclean kitchen walls and dough exposed to flies.

The licence of House of Maharashtra in Santacruz (west) was suspended after inspectors found cockroach infestation in the kitchen and storage room, non-food-grade packaging material, absence of pest control certification and rusty cooking equipment, the FDA said.

South India Dosa Corner in Kurla (west) had its licence suspended after it failed to rectify deficiencies highlighted in an earlier improvement notice, including poor waste management, lack of employee medical and vaccination records and inadequate hygiene training, the FDA added.

Between August 4 and 6, the FDA inspected 21 eateries in Mumbai. It issued 13 improvement notices and suspended the licences of four establishments. Across the state during the same period, the FDA inspected 63 eateries, issued 38 improvement notices and suspended licences of seven eateries for violating provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Across the state between August 4 and 6, the agency seized food products worth nearly ₹2.82 crore, suspended seven food business licences, and filed 19 criminal cases for the sale and distribution of banned food products. The drive also targeted the illegal trade in gutkha, pan masala and flavoured tobacco products. A total of 19 cases were registered and 22 persons were arrested.