Maharashtra FDA suspends licences of McDonald's, Bombay Presidency Radio Club over food safety violations

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licences of the Bombay Presidency Radio Club and a McDonald's outlet in south Mumbai, along with 11 other food establishments across the state, over alleged violations of food safety and hygiene norms, PTI reported, citing officials.

The action follows an intensified crackdown after IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe took charge as FDA commissioner in May. During a recent special drive, the FDA inspected 89 hotels, restaurants and dhabas across Maharashtra. Of these, 71 were issued improvement notices, while licences of 13 establishments were suspended, according to an official release cited by PTI.

Bombay Presidency Radio Club licence suspended

An FDA inspection at the Bombay Presidency Radio Club on August 19 recorded a 47% non-compliance rate. The club was directed to stop the purchase, sale and distribution of food during the suspension period.

Inspectors allegedly found numerous live flies and dead cockroaches in the kitchen, peeling paint and plaster above food preparation areas, and chemicals including washing powder stored near food. Food was also found directly on the floor, while refrigerators used for non-vegetarian food were reported to be unclean.

The FDA also flagged improper thawing practices, an inadequately sealed kitchen door, garbage bins placed near cooking stoves and spitting marks on the premises.

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McDonald's outlet faces immediate suspension

Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd's McDonald's Family Restaurant kiosk at Metro House in Colaba also had its FSSAI licence suspended immediately. A re-inspection on August 19 found that 18 of 20 deficiencies identified in an earlier improvement notice remained unresolved.

The FDA cited uncalibrated refrigeration equipment, live cockroaches, lack of pest traps, rotting food waste on the kitchen floor, dirty cleaning cloths and dust-covered light fixtures without protective shields. Employees were also allegedly seen handling ready-to-eat food without washing their hands after touching dirty footwear and soiled cleaning cloths.

McDonald's said it maintains rigorous food safety standards and has a zero-tolerance approach to food safety issues. The company said it respects the regulatory process and is reviewing the observations. It also said its restaurants use real cheese and real paneer and that customers are welcome to take kitchen tours to understand its food preparation practices.

According to the FDA, the outlet had submitted a 148-page compliance report on August 12, but most serious deficiencies remained during the re-inspection.

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Other Maharashtra establishments face action

Novaara restaurant, operated by Ingenious Kitchens Pvt Ltd, also lost its food business licence after a re-inspection found 14 of 25 serious deficiencies unresolved. These included outdated kitchen equipment, inadequate pest-control measures and incomplete medical examination records for food handlers.

Status Restaurant at Nariman Point faced immediate suspension following a customer complaint. The FDA cited an employee washing his face over clean utensils, incomplete protective equipment, dirty crockery, stagnant water and accumulated grease, rust and food waste.

The FDA also suspended Khar Gymkhana, citing poor storage and cleanliness, inadequate segregation of raw and prepared food, lack of hot water and improper thawing of frozen food.

Licences of Bajrang Sweet Mart in Santacruz West and ASM Hotels and Hospitality Services in Andheri West were also suspended.

The crackdown extended to Nagpur, Nashik, Amravati, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Parbhani, where licences of several establishments were suspended over alleged sanitation and food safety violations, PTI reported.

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