The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licence of a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) canteen in Mumbai’s Borivali West after finding several food safety violations and unhygienic conditions during an inspection.
The FDA said the licence of M/s Best Canteen located at Sai Ashram Bus Stop in LIC Colony, Borivali West, has been suspended. The action was also taken against M/s Instakart Services Private Limited in Bhandup West.
According to the FDA, inspections found violations of Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011. Officials reported unhygienic kitchen and drainage conditions, rusted racks and utensils, improper storage practices and incomplete temperature records.
The department also found that returned pav was being mixed with fresh pav. Workers at the establishments did not have required medical certificates, while unauthorised food colours were allegedly used in sweets, the FDA said.
Meanwhile, the FDA carried out a statewide special inspection drive and seized around 35,547 kg of food products worth nearly Rs 79.97 lakh.
The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division recorded the biggest seizure, with officials confiscating 32,639 kg of food stock valued at more than Rs 65.80 lakh from five locations.
As part of the action, officials shut down a turmeric manufacturing unit in Hingoli district and seized 21,915 kg of whole turmeric worth Rs 43.83 lakh. The FDA also seized 626 kg of chilli and turmeric powder worth Rs 2.96 lakh in Kannad.
In Parbhani, around 4,348 kg of turmeric powder worth Rs 13.04 lakh was seized, following which the manufacturer’s licence was suspended.
The FDA also closed an unlicensed cold storage facility in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city and seized 4,222 kg of food stock worth Rs 2.91 lakh. The seized items included jaggery, fennel seeds and special saunf, the department said.
(With PTI inputs)