Maharashtra FDA crackdown: Hotels are now hiring ex-officials to conduct mock kitchen audits

Hoteliers and restaurant owners across Maharashtra are hiring former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officials as private consultants to conduct mock audits of their kitchens, Mumbai Mirror reported.

The move comes as the hospitality industry attempts to prepare for an aggressive crackdown on hygiene violations led by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. Consultants are being hired to inspect kitchens, identify regulatory gaps and help establishments address deficiencies before an official FDA inspection or raid.

“Earlier, we used to do liaison work on behalf of hotels to obtain various approvals. Ever since the new FDA commissioner has taken charge and a crackdown has begun, we are being sought out by hotels and restaurants to inspect their premises and check for gaps that can be plugged in case there is an FDA raid,” former FSSAI official Dhiraj Wankhede told Mumbai Mirror.

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Licences suspended, premises sealed

Mundhe’s campaign has reportedly caused concern across Maharashtra’s hospitality sector. Hundreds of establishments, including prominent Mumbai restaurants, premium clubs and the Bombay High Court canteens, have allegedly faced licence suspensions or sealing action.

Restaurant owners told the publication, on condition of anonymity, that the lack of a grace period before suspension was adding to their concerns. They said establishments were often being penalised without receiving adequate time to rectify violations, resulting in financial losses for owners and employees.

One hotelier said former officials were being engaged to ensure that restaurants were not caught unprepared during FDA inspections.

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Focus on compliance

Former FSSAI officer Suraj Wasnik said the crackdown had compelled hoteliers to take kitchen hygiene and compliance more seriously. He added that establishments were increasingly approaching him for inspections and guidance.

Wankhede said kitchen layouts were often determined by space constraints, while kitchen compliance had not received sufficient attention from authorities in the past. "Now the kitchen has become a priority for the hotel industry," he said.

Satish Shetty, a managing committee member of the Indian Hotel & Restaurant Association (AHAR), confirmed that hotels were engaging food experts, including retired FDA and FSSAI officials, for preventive audits.

Another hotelier said while smaller establishments are relying on their own resources, larger hotels and restaurants are increasingly turning to consultants to navigate the intensified enforcement drive.

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