In a latest move, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Department suspended the food licenses of prominent Mumbai food establishments, including the Bombay Presidency Radio Club, the Colaba outlet of McDonald’s and the Tata’s Restaurant in Nariman Point, following surprise inspections in August.
The renowned Bombay Presidency Radio Club is said to have violated safety and hygiene regulations. During the inspection of the club’s kitchen on Wednesday, officials found a massive breach of food safety and sanitation standards.
The inspection uncovered fly infestations in various kitchen areas, a dead cockroach and open cockroach traps in the utensil washing zone. Further, authorities found flaking ceiling plaster directly over food preparation areas, posing a risk of falling into food, as well as washing powders and chemicals stored right alongside food items.
Utensils and food products were also discovered to be kept on the floor, while non-vegetarian refrigerators were unhygienic and food items were not being thawed properly.
Besides detergent and utensils, sweaty helmets and clothes of staff members were found hanging alongside food kitchen doors. Waste bins were placed next to cooking stones, and signs of spitting were noticed on the premises.
The inspection revealed an overall non-compliance of 47% by the establishment. Citing public health and safety concerns, the FDA suspended the licence under Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The club has been ordered to halt all food purchases, sales and distribution during the suspension period, with a warning of stern legal action in case of violation.
At the McDonald’s kiosk in Colaba, 18 out of 20 violations were reported, with a falsified 148 compliance report being submitted and cheese analogues being used without menu declarations. The operating licence of the food outlet has been suspended with immediate effect under the FSS Act, 2006, barring all food manufacturing, sales and distribution until full compliance is legally verified.
Besides, the FDA has also suspended the food registration certificate of the Car Gymkhana due to severe hygiene lapses and critical food safety violations. Inspections exposed a high risk of cross-contamination from unsegregated raw, cooked vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods, alongside the hazardous storage of chemicals and complete lack of pest control traps.