Maharashtra FDA Suspends Licenses of 25 Food Outlets, Including Six Domino's
The Maharashtra FDA has taken stringent action against food safety violations, suspending licenses and seizing large quantities of substandard food products.
25 food establishments, including six Domino's outlets, had their licenses suspended for hygiene violations.
Over 81,000 kg of suspected adulterated food products worth Rs 1.73 crore were seized.
The FDA is intensifying inspections to combat the sale of banned food items across the state.
In a significant enforcement action, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licenses of 25 food establishments, which notably includes six outlets of Domino's Pizza. This decision was announced on Friday following inspections that revealed serious hygiene violations, such as the presence of live cockroaches and fungal contamination, as well as unclean utensils and improper food storage practices.
The FDA's crackdown is part of a broader initiative to ensure food safety across the state. Inspections led to the seizure of 81,330 kg of food products deemed substandard, adulterated, or mislabelled, with a total estimated value of Rs 1.73 crore. The seized items included various foodstuffs such as edible oils, spices, and sweets, all of which have been sent for laboratory analysis to determine their safety and compliance with regulations.
Among the 25 establishments affected, seven were located in the Mumbai division, while the Pune division accounted for six Domino's outlets. The remaining establishments were distributed across Konkan and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar divisions. The FDA has indicated that further legal actions will be taken based on the laboratory results, adhering to the Food Safety and Standards Act.
In a separate initiative, the FDA conducted a special operation against banned food products on October 14 and 15, inspecting 13 establishments and vehicles across multiple divisions, including Mumbai and Pune. This operation resulted in the seizure of banned items worth Rs 18.83 lakh, bringing the total value of seized goods to over Rs 21.83 lakh. Additionally, ten FIRs were filed against various offenders, and several establishments were sealed due to violations.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe emphasized the department's commitment to conducting thorough inspections statewide to prevent the sale and distribution of banned food products. The ongoing efforts aim to uphold food safety standards and protect public health across Maharashtra.
