New Delhi: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has suspended 30 food licences and registration certificates and seized 50,601.78 kg of food products valued at around ₹1.19 crore during a statewide enforcement drive between September 23 and 27.
The action was carried out ahead of the festive season to check food safety, hygiene, storage and distribution practices. Licences of 13 establishments in Mumbai, six in the Konkan division, eight in Pune division and three in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division were suspended.
Several establishments in Mumbai faced action after inspections revealed serious hygiene concerns. At Kyani & Co in Kalbadevi, officials reported finding cats, rat droppings, live flies and dead cockroaches in food preparation and storage areas. Blood was also found inside a refrigerator, while an open sewage manhole was located in the processing section.
Colaba Sweet Mart was found to have cockroaches, lizards, flies and larvae, along with inadequate pest control arrangements and missing staff medical fitness records and protective equipment.
Licences of Arun Vilas Farsan in Dharavi, Ruchi Veg Restaurant in Parel and Daffodils Fast Food Inn in Vile Parle were also suspended over hygiene violations. A Subway outlet operated by EverSub India in Lower Parel faced action after inspectors found a faulty refrigerator, foul odour, a mould like layer and live cockroaches.
Across Pune, Konkan and other divisions, authorities seized large quantities of khoa, paneer, ghee, sweets, oils, spices, dry fruits, milk products and other food items suspected to be unsafe, adulterated, substandard or improperly labelled.
The FDA said banned food products worth ₹30.63 lakh were also seized during separate inspections. The operation resulted in 22 FIRs, 30 arrests, three establishments being sealed and seizure of three vehicles valued at ₹14.80 lakh.
The department said enforcement against expired, tampered, adulterated and unhygienically prepared food products will continue during the festive season.
