Blinkit Mumbai: FDA suspends Blinkit’s Malad warehouse licence over hygiene violations | Mumbai News
MUMBAI: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food licence of Blink Commerce (Blinkit) Pvt Ltd’s dark store in Malad West on the grounds of unhygienic conditions, cockroach infestation, and food safety violations.The action was taken after an inspection by food safety officers on Aug 7 at the facility located at Sarvodaya Bhuvan on Ramchandra Lane.According to FDA officials, the warehouse was in a severely unhygienic condition as food items were stored on rusted racks or directly on the floor, while an infestation of cockroaches was discovered on stocks of fresh fruits and vegetables, creating a risk of cross-contamination.Officials said the warehouse lacked effective pest and rodent control measures across storage and handling areas, poor waste management practices, and the storage of expired, damaged, and tampered packaged food items alongside fresh stock in cold rooms.Furthermore, fitness records and health check-up records for food handlers were missing, and workers lacked proper protective gear.This is the second time in weeks that a Blinkit warehouse licence has been suspended. In late July, action was taken against one of its warehouses in Pune’s Viman Nagar.Last year, a Blinkit facility in Pune had its licence suspended after the FDA found fungal growth on food items, stagnant and clogged water near storage areas, improper cold storage with temperatures not maintained as per norms, and wet, unclean floors with food products stored haphazardly, including directly on the ground.Around the same time, the FDA also found similar issues at a Zepto warehouse in Dharavi and had suspended its licence.
