Maharashtra FDA crackdown: Pune's Burger King sealed over hygiene lapses; should diners worry?

Pune’s Burger King outlet in the Camp area, a familiar stop for generations of residents since 1992, has been sealed after the Food and Drug Administration found serious hygiene deficiencies and violations of food safety rules during an inspection. The East Street restaurant’s food licence has also been suspended.

Statewide inspection drive

The action was taken as part of the statewide ‘Safe Food, Safe Drug, Safe Maharashtra’ campaign launched on the directions of Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. During a special drive on August 13, FDA officials inspected 86 establishments across Maharashtra, including food businesses and online delivery platforms such as Zepto, Blinkit and Instamart.

The department said one establishment was ordered to stop operations immediately, while 60 improvement notices were issued. Fourteen food business licences were suspended with immediate effect — five each for Blinkit and Zepto, two for Instamart, and one each for Bhagwati Store and Swinsta ENT Pvt Ltd. At one of the raided stores, cockroaches were found nesting and moving on racks used to store food packets.

Seizures and FIRs

The drive also focused on violations involving milk and milk products. The FDA seized 698 kg of milk products worth Rs 34,302. Officials also seized another 1,270 kg of food items, including milk products, bakery products and edible oil, valued at about Rs 1.29 lakh. In a separate crackdown on banned products such as pan masala and gutkha, the FDA registered 10 FIRs related to their sale, distribution and transportation. Nine people were arrested and banned stock worth Rs 46.76 lakh was seized. The total value of all seized goods was put at Rs 46,89,603.

Officials also inspected 109 hotels, restaurants and dhabas during the special drive. Of these, 49 were served improvement notices and the food licences of four establishments were suspended. In the Pune division, inspections carried out between August 11 and August 14 at hotels, restaurants, e-commerce establishments and dairies led to the immediate suspension of licences or registrations of 16 establishments for significant hygiene deficiencies and food safety violations.

Establishments facing action

Among the establishments facing action were Fortune Enterprises (Hotel Sayaji) in Lonavala, Hotel Chul Mutton in Lohegaon, Simply South in Bhosari, Hotel Pawan in Kolhapur, Rajesh Chinese in Sangli, Domino’s Pizza and Pizza Hut in Karad, and the Camp Burger King. JBM Hospitality, which runs a canteen at HDFC Bank in Wanwadi, Pune, was directed to stop operations for allegedly functioning without a licence.

Inspection findings at Blinkit and Zepto facilities

The FDA also flagged facilities run by Blinkit Commerce Private Limited in Ghatkopar and Zepto in Lokhandwala as non-compliant. The Ghatkopar Blinkit facility scored 34 out of 74 marks, or 46 per cent. At Zepto’s Lokhandwala facility, officials found inadequate temperature control for perishable food, no ante-room for frozen products, a poor warehouse layout, and improper segregation of food, non-food items and hazardous substances. It scored 65 out of 140 marks, or 47 per cent. The FDA said the inspections are meant to ensure compliance with hygiene and food safety standards, and warned that violators will face improvement notices, suspension of licences and directions to stop operations.