The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended the licences of muiltiple food business establishments linked to online platforms including Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart after a state-wide inspection drive found multiple food safety and hygiene violations, officials said on Friday.
The regulator reported unhygienic storage conditions, inadequate pest control and serious deficiencies in the personal hygiene of food handlers. The FDA also suspended multiple food business licences with immediate effect, including five each linked to Blinkit and Zepto, and two linked to Instamart. The inspections examined storage and temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, personal hygiene of food handlers, compliance with FIFO/FEFO (First In, First Out/First Expired, First Out) practices, food safety records and the display of licences. In Pune, the FDA suspended the licence of a Zepto outlet in Lohegaon after finding several violations.
The FDA inspected 86 establishments across Maharashtra on August 13 that sell and deliver food through online platforms. It issued 60 improvement notices and ordered the temporary stoppage of operations at one facility. Around 40 food handlers had also not undergone medical examinations, and records related to the examinations were unavailable, the FDA said.
No licence was cancelled during the drive, the state regulator said, according to a PTI report. The FDA said licences were suspended where serious non-compliance was found. Some food products were stored beyond their declared “Use By” dates, while inspectors also found that FIFO/FEFO practices were not being followed.
