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Maharashtra FDA suspends licences of 21 food establishments
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Wednesday, 14 October, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Shardul Nautiyal, Mumbai
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The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has intensified its statewide crackdown on food adulteration, unhygienic food handling and violations of food safety regulations, seizing suspected substandard food products worth around Rs. 4.70 lakh in Dhule, Jalna, Dharashiv, Hingoli, Nanded and Raigad, while suspending the licences of 21 food establishments across Pune, Mumbai and Konkan divisions.
The enforcement drive on October 8, 2026, targeted suspected adulteration in packaged drinking water, milk, sweets, rice, ghee, pulses and other food products, alongside hygiene and licensing violations at restaurants, bakeries, cloud kitchens, canteens, retail outlets and food manufacturing units.
The action is aimed at preventing the sale of unsafe and misbranded food products, enforcing mandatory hygiene standards and ensuring that food business operators comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations.
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has emphasised the need for strict enforcement against food businesses that compromise food quality, sanitation and consumer safety. The department's inspection drive also seeks to ensure that establishments maintain proper storage conditions, employee hygiene, food testing records, pest-control measures and valid licences appropriate to their activities.
In the Nashik division, FDA officials seized 8,020 litres of suspected substandard or adulterated packaged drinking water worth Rs. 1,63,280 from Shivay Beverages LLP at T-11, MIDC, Nardana, Shindkheda taluka, Dhule district. The seizure followed an inspection conducted as part of a special drive against adulteration and the sale of food and beverages that may not meet prescribed quality standards.
In the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, special inspections across four districts resulted in the seizure of suspected adulterated or substandard food products worth Rs. 3,03,184. In Jalna district, officials seized malai pedha worth Rs. 2,500 from Maa Nagnechi Bikaner Sweet Mart at Kumbharpimpalgaon in Ghansawangi taluka on suspicion of adulteration.
In Dharashiv district, rice worth Rs. 1,52,076 was seized from Anganwadi No. 27525040914 at Ratnapur under the Integrated Child Development Services Project in Kalamb taluka, following suspicion of adulteration. In Hingoli district, officials seized 1.3 kg of pure ghee worth Rs. 1,170 and 1.8 kg of pumpkin seeds worth Rs. 1,350 from Vishwambhar Kirana and Dry Fruits at Sahakarnagar, Karwadi, over concerns regarding product quality.
In Nanded district, 888 kg of Ajanta-brand toor dal worth Rs. 1,46,088 was seized from the kitchen of Eklavya Model Residential School at Sahastrakund in Kinwat taluka after the stock was found to be of substandard quality.
In Raigad district, the FDA inspected Shiv Kailas Dairy at Taloja on October 6 and seized 65 litres of misbranded loose milk worth Rs. 4,140. The seizure comprised 40 litres of raw cow milk valued at Rs. 2,240 and 25 litres of raw buffalo milk valued at Rs. 1,900. The department said the milk was being sold in violation of Sections 23, 26 and 27 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Samples were collected for further legal proceedings.
The FDA also suspended the licences of five food establishments in Mumbai following inspections that revealed deficiencies involving sanitation, storage, pest control, employee hygiene and food safety documentation.
At Barista Coffee Company Limited's outlet at Jilkar House, Shivaji Park, inspectors found rusted and unclean refrigeration equipment, inadequate temperature control, uncovered food items and a lack of segregation between vegetarian and non-vegetarian products. Food and water testing reports, packaging quality certificates, equipment calibration records, employee medical certificates and training records were also unavailable.
At Sandy Da Dhaba on Madh-Marve Road, Malad West, officials reported unhygienic kitchen conditions, rats and flies, dirty freezers and improper storage of chicken. The establishment also lacked employee medical certificates, protective clothing and gloves, and purchase and sale records.
At Rajidi Retail Private Limited in Bhandup, inspectors found dirty deep freezers, dead flies among food packets, pest infestation, damaged flooring, rusted racks and oil containers, and missing temperature-monitoring and audit records.
Food Hub, a cloud kitchen in Malad West, was found operating in an overcrowded and unhygienic space, with expired spices, improperly labelled food products, inadequate pest control and deficiencies in employee medical examinations and personal hygiene. At Milkow's Dairy Products in Kandivali East, the FDA cited an inappropriate licence category, poor sanitation, inadequate lighting and ventilation, possible pest entry and missing cleaning, calibration and preventive-maintenance records.
In the Konkan division, the FDA took action against Chawla Enterprises, operating as Bhagat Tarachand, in Panvel, Raigad district. The inspection revealed severe uncleanliness in the kitchen and storage areas, unsafe food-handling conditions, missing employee medical fitness certificates and protective hygiene equipment, and the absence of purchase and sale records required for verification.
Pune division accounted for a wider enforcement drive involving 15 food establishments whose licences or registrations were suspended, according to the FDA's statewide action summary. The establishments included restaurants, bakeries, caterers, food manufacturers, retail outlets and storage businesses.
At Chinese Story in Hinjewadi, inspectors found extensive cockroach infestation, poor sanitation, improper drainage and inadequate segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Employee medical fitness and FoSTaC training certificates, pest-control records and water-testing reports were not available.
New Rajdhani Bakery in Loni Kalbhor was found to have cats roaming inside its premises, inadequate sanitation and food storage practices, and missing employee medical certificates, food safety training records and food-testing reports. The establishment's licence also lacked appropriate details of its food category and business type.
At Shree Vighnaharta Caterers, operating as Delhi Cafe at Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi, officials found extensive cockroach infestation and no records of regular pest-control operations.
The FDA also identified businesses operating without the required food licence or registration. These included Mukesh Electricals and Sound Services in Kothrud and Flavour and Fun in Karve Nagar. The Cozy Cafe on Sinhagad College Road and Zam Zam Fruit in Dapodi were also found operating without valid licences or registrations, with show-cause notices issued in the latter two cases.
At Red Chilly Chinese in Hadapsar, inspectors reported the excessive use of monosodium glutamate (MSG), commonly known as Ajinomoto, and artificial colours, along with unhygienic food preparation conditions. Swinsta Enterprises in Hadapsar was found storing expired, spoiled or damaged food products amid pest activity and deficiencies in inventory storage.
Oye Kiddan Restaurant, operated by Amrit Foods in Hinjewadi, had extensive cockroach infestation and inadequate sanitation and cleaning arrangements. Blink Commerce Private Limited in Satara was found to have failed to comply with an improvement notice, with further deficiencies in sanitation, storage, employee hygiene and food safety training documentation.
At Aai Mata Farsan and Wefers in Ambegaon Budruk, inspectors reported accumulated oil, grease and food residue on processing equipment, inadequate wastewater disposal, expired products and deficiencies in employee hygiene and product traceability. Maratha Caterers at Savitribai Phule Pune University's Ganeshkhind Girls Hostel was found to have live cockroaches, unhygienic food preparation and storage areas, and inadequate sanitation and food safety records.
The FDA also cited Thakkar Dining Hall in Chinchwad and Radhakrishna Hotel – World of Pure Veg in Akurdi for serious violations of the mandatory hygiene and food safety requirements under Schedule IV of the food safety regulations.
At Killa Hotel in Wagholi, inspectors found that the establishment was preparing, serving and selling food despite being registered under the retailer category, with additional deficiencies in sanitation, wastewater disposal, personal hygiene and prevention of cross-contamination.
The enforcement action reflects the FDA's focus on both product quality and the conditions under which food is prepared, stored and sold.
The FDA's inspections and regulatory action are intended to deter food safety violations, improve compliance among food business operators and protect consumers from the health risks associated with adulterated food, poor sanitation and improper storage.
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