Strict Action Against Food Establishments in Mumbai, Four Licenses Suspended

Mumbai, September 15 (Daily Kiran) : Mumbai’s food safety and drug administration has taken stringent measures against several food establishments due to violations of safety and hygiene regulations. Four licenses have been suspended, including those of the popular Cafe Mondegar in Colaba, Maharashtra Biryani Center in Kandivali East, Tribhuvan Dairy Farm, and Mahavir Cashew and Foods Private Limited.

These actions followed inspections that revealed significant deficiencies in food storage, temperature control, cleanliness, and adherence to necessary sanitation standards. Additionally, similar actions were taken in the Pune division, where Hotel Malhar Wada in Kolhapur and Puramchand & Sons in Pune also had their licenses suspended.

On September 12, officials inspected Cafe Mondegar, located in Metro House, Colaba. They discovered alarming issues related to food safety and cleanliness. The inspection revealed that hot foods were not maintained at the required safe temperature of above 60 degrees Celsius, while cold storage items were not kept below the mandated 5 degrees Celsius. There were also failures in the proper thawing process of food items, and the necessary rapid cooling of cooked food was not being followed.

The inspection further identified cleanliness and infrastructure problems at Cafe Mondegar. The flooring was damaged due to moisture, and the drainage system near food preparation areas was inadequate. Such conditions posed a risk of cross-contamination from contaminated water or dirt coming into contact with food. Additionally, there was a lack of proper cleaning and sanitization of the equipment used in food preparation. In light of these serious food safety and hygiene violations, the establishment’s license was suspended.

A second significant action was taken against Maharashtra Biryani Center, inspected on September 11. Located at Shop Number 4, N. Govindraj Chawl, Hanuman Nagar, Akurli Road, Kandivali East, the establishment was found to violate Schedule 4 of food safety regulations. The deficiencies identified were treated with utmost seriousness, leading to the suspension of its license. Legal proceedings will follow according to applicable regulations.

Licenses for Tribhuvan Dairy Farm and Mahavir Cashew and Foods Private Limited in Mumbai were also suspended as part of the regulatory actions related to food safety.

In addition to Mumbai, the Pune division has seen similar enforcement actions. The license for Hotel Malhar Wada in Kolhapur was suspended, along with Puramchand & Sons in Pune, reinforcing the commitment to uphold food safety standards across the region.