FDA shuts Radio Club, Khar Gymkhana, McDonald’s Colaba kitchens over hygiene violations | Mumbai News
MUMBAI: The FDA suspended the food business licence of The Bombay Presidency Radio Club and the registration certificate of Khar Gymkhana over severe hygiene, structural and food safety violations.Both establishments had failed to ensure proper waste management and pest control and had not maintained records of cleaning and temperature-control schedules.At the Radio Club, a large-scale infestation of live flies was found in various areas of the kitchen, along with dead cockroaches.The FDA also suspended the licence of McDonald’s Colaba after a live cockroach infestation was found in the kitchen, among other violations.The FDA has been in focus since IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe took charge as commissioner in May and launched a crackdown on food establishments found violating various laws and rules.In a recent special drive, the FDA inspected 89 hotels, restaurants and dhabas across Maharashtra. It issued improvement notices to 71 establishments and suspended the licences of 13 food businesses, according to an official release.At the McDonald’s outlet, employees were allegedly found handling ready-to-eat food without washing their hands after handling dirty footwear and soiled cleaning cloths.The FDA said the outlet had submitted a 148-page compliance report on August 12. However, a reinspection found that most of the serious deficiencies remained unresolved.Officials also allegedly found the use of a processed non-dairy or analogue preparation, “GO Cheese SAUCE”, despite claims displayed to customers about the use of real cheese and paneer.Ingenious Kitchens Pvt Ltd, which operates Novaara restaurant in Malad, also lost its food business licence after the FDA found that 14 of the 25 serious deficiencies cited in an earlier improvement notice had not been rectified during a reinspection on August 13.The deficiencies at Novaara included the use of old kitchen utensils and equipment that did not conform to food safety standards, absence of grease and cockroach traps in the drainage line, and inadequate medical examination records for food handlers.Status Restaurant at Nariman Point faced immediate suspension on Thursday following a customer complaint. During the inspection, FDA officials allegedly found an employee washing his face directly over clean food utensils, causing wastewater to splash onto them. Employees were also found working without complete personal protective equipment, while inspectors noted dirty crockery, stagnant water, grease and oil deposits, rust and food waste, the release said.The FDA also suspended the registration certificate of Khar Gymkhana in Khar West after allegedly finding serious hygiene and food safety violations. The inspection revealed inadequate storage arrangements, poor cleanliness in food preparation areas, inadequate segregation of raw and prepared food, lack of hot water for washing utensils and improper thawing of frozen food.Other establishments in Mumbai whose licences were suspended include Bajrang Sweet Mart in Santacruz West and ASM Hotels and Hospitality Services Pvt Ltd in Andheri West.Outside Mumbai, the FDA suspended the licences of Du Brothers Shawarma in Nagpur, Avanti Snacks in Nashik and Pintu Yadav Sweets in Amravati.The FDA also suspended the food business licences of three establishments in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Parbhani — Chhappan Bhog Thali Restaurant and Banquet Hall, MHARO Gayatri Mewad Pvt Ltd and Star Bakery — for sanitation and food safety violations.(With Agency Inputs)
