Maharashtra FDA suspends BEST canteen licence over hygiene violations

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday suspended the licences of a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) canteen in Borivali West and another food establishment in Bhandup West following inspections that revealed serious violations of food safety and hygiene regulations.

According to an official statement, the FDA suspended the licences of M/s Best Canteen, located at Sai Ashram Bus Stop in LIC Colony, Borivali West, and M/s Instakart Services Private Limited in Bhandup West.

The action followed inspections that uncovered violations of Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011.

Officials found unhygienic kitchens and drainage systems, rusted racks and utensils, and instances of returned pav being mixed with fresh pav.

Other irregularities included incomplete temperature records, the absence of medical certificates for workers and the use of unauthorised food colours in sweets.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲

Separately, the FDA carried out a special inspection drive across Maharashtra, seizing approximately 35,547 kg of food stock valued at an estimated Rs 79.97 lakh.

The inspections targeted suspected violations involving food quality, hygiene, licensing and possible adulteration.

In the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, officials seized 32,639 kg of food stock worth more than Rs 65.80 lakh from five locations.

The action included the closure of a turmeric manufacturing unit in Hingoli district, where officials seized 21,915 kg of whole turmeric valued at Rs 43.83 lakh.

In Kannad, authorities seized 626 kg of chilli and turmeric powder worth Rs 2.96 lakh.

Another 4,348 kg of turmeric powder worth Rs 13.04 lakh was seized in Parbhani, where the manufacturer's licence was also suspended.

𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝘂𝘁

The FDA also shut down an unlicensed cold storage facility in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city after seizing 4,222 kg of food stock worth Rs 2.91 lakh.

The seized items included jaggery, fennel seeds and special saunf.

In Nanded, officials seized 1,528 kg of refined soybean oil valued at Rs 3.05 lakh on suspicion of adulteration.

The seizures formed part of the department's wider enforcement exercise aimed at identifying food products suspected of failing to comply with prescribed standards.

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗸

In the Nashik division, FDA officials seized 2,908 kg of spices and ajwain worth approximately Rs 14.16 lakh from two locations.

The seizures included 2,230 kg of spices valued at Rs 11.86 lakh in Nashik and 678 kg of ajwain worth Rs 2.30 lakh in Jalgaon.

According to the FDA, the action was taken over suspected misbranding and substandard quality of the products.

The department said the inspections and seizures were carried out as part of its special drive to enforce food safety regulations across the state.