Cockroaches, flies, chemicals near food: Mumbai FDA suspends licences of top eateries, clubs

Among those facing action are The Bombay Presidency Radio Club, the Colaba outlet of McDonald's and Status Restaurant in Nariman Point.

The food registration certificate of Khar Gymkhana has also been suspended following an inspection.

Flies, cockroach found at Radio Club

An inspection of the kitchen at The Bombay Presidency Radio Club on Wednesday revealed widespread breaches of food safety standards.

FDA officials found active fly infestations in several kitchen areas, along with a dead cockroach and open cockroach traps near the utensil-washing section.

The inspection also found peeling ceiling plaster directly above food preparation areas, raising concerns that debris could fall into food.

Cleaning powders and other chemicals were reportedly stored alongside food products.

Food and utensils were found placed directly on the floor, while non-vegetarian refrigerators were described as unhygienic. Officials also flagged improper thawing of food items.

Staff hygiene, waste disposal also flagged

The inspection found staff members' sweaty helmets and clothing stored near food, improperly sealed kitchen doors and waste bins positioned next to cooking stoves.

Officials also reported signs of spitting on the premises.

Other violations included food handlers failing to wash their hands, uncalibrated refrigeration equipment and the absence of temperature-monitoring records.

The establishment recorded an overall non-compliance rate of 47 per cent.

The FDA suspended the club's licence under Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, citing public health and safety concerns.

The club has been ordered to stop all food purchases, sales and distribution during the suspension period. Authorities warned of strict legal action in case of violations.

Colaba McDonald's fails 18 of 20 safety checks

The FDA also took action against a McDonald's kiosk in Colaba, which reportedly failed 18 of 20 food safety parameters during inspection.

Officials also alleged that the outlet submitted falsified compliance reports running into 148 pages.

The inspection further raised concerns over the use of cheese analogues without appropriate declarations on the menu.

The food operating licence has been suspended with immediate effect, preventing the outlet from manufacturing, selling or distributing food until compliance is verified.

McDonald's responds

McDonald's said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards food safety hazards and is reviewing the FDA's observations.

"At McDonald's, we take pride in maintaining high food safety standards across our restaurants and have a zero-tolerance approach to food safety issues," the company said.

The company also maintained that it follows stringent food quality, safety and hygiene standards and said its products use real cheese and real paneer in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Khar Gymkhana also faces FDA action

The FDA has also suspended the food registration certificate of Khar Gymkhana after inspectors found serious hygiene and food safety violations.

The inspection reportedly revealed a high risk of cross-contamination because raw, cooked, vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items were not properly segregated.

Officials also found hazardous storage of chemicals and a lack of adequate pest-control traps.

The establishment has been directed to immediately stop all food production, storage, purchasing, sale and distribution until the suspension is lifted following verification of compliance