Key Update

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of Cafe Mondegar and three other Mumbai food establishments after inspections found serious food safety, hygiene and sanitation violations. The action forms part of an intensified enforcement drive across Maharashtra ahead of the festive season.

Cafe Mondegar Fails Food Safety Checks

During an inspection at Cafe Mondegar in Colaba on September 12, FDA officials found several lapses in food handling, storage and sanitation. The restaurant failed to keep hot food above 60°C and cold storage below 5°C. Inspectors also found improper thawing, inadequate cooling of cooked food and structural deficiencies that could increase the risk of cross-contamination.

The FDA also suspended the licences of Maharashtra Biryani Centre in Kandivali East, Tribhuvan Dairy Farm in Ghatkopar West and Mahavir Cashew & Foods Pvt Ltd in Ghatkopar East. The establishments had violated Schedule 4 hygiene and sanitation requirements under food safety regulations.

Mumbai Drive Collects 47 Food Samples

The FDA expanded its checks across Mumbai during a special festival-season drive from September 11 to 14. Officials inspected 38 food establishments and collected 47 samples of milk, khoya, ghee, sweets and other products for laboratory testing.

The drive also led to action against nine establishments. At Ayush Milk Supplier in Andheri East, officials collected a barfi sample and seized 23 kg of stock worth ₹6,440. At Brijwasi Mithaiyan Shop in Mulund West, they collected a khoya sample and seized 225 kg of stock valued at ₹60,300.  The action also covered Ruhafza Bakery, Chandru’s Pure Ghee Sweets, Sharma Dairy & Fast Food, Punjabi Chandu Halwai LLP, Shri Narayan Dairy and Gulshan Dairy Farm.

FDA Flags Substandard Milk Products Across Maharashtra

The enforcement drive extended beyond Mumbai, with officials checking dairy and sweet businesses in several districts. In Kolhapur, the FDA seized 10 kg of halwa worth ₹6,000 and 198 kg of rabadi worth ₹45,540 from Shivaratna Milk & Milk Agro Product after suspecting the products to be substandard.

In Pune, Creamy Delight had 1,519 kg of cow milk, butter and skimmed milk powder worth ₹8.50 lakh with labelling deficiencies and suspected quality issues. At Mahaveer Dairy in Manchar, officials found 49 kg of khoya, 104 kg of paneer and 11 kg of ghee suspected to be substandard.

Jalgaon also recorded major seizures. Officials intercepted two transport vehicles carrying around 2,155 kg of suspected adulterated halwa worth ₹5.58 lakh. They also seized suspected substandard khoya, peda and buffalo ghee from other establishments in the district. They found 19 kg of shrikhand stored in unhygienic conditions at a premises belonging to Samadhan Pawar.

At Bhairavnath Dairy in Badlapur, Thane, inspectors found 30 litres of loose pasteurised standardised buffalo milk being sold in violation of an order issued on July 3, 2026. Overall, the FDA reported seizing 30 litres of liquid milk and 4,138.7 kg of milk products and sweets, with a combined value of ₹15.58 lakh.

FDA Targets Banned Gutkha Network

Alongside food safety violations, the department continued its crackdown on banned gutkha and other prohibited products. On September 9, an FDA-police team seized prohibited products worth ₹95.30 lakh in Rajur, Jalna. The team also seized vehicles valued at around ₹40 lakh that were allegedly used to transport the products, taking the total seizure value to ₹1.35 crore.

In Beed, another joint team intercepted a Mahindra Scorpio allegedly transporting banned gutkha. Officials seized gutkha worth ₹3.63 lakh and the vehicle valued at ₹7 lakh.

A separate Mumbai operation on September 12 found prohibited products at five establishments. The FDA seized banned stock worth ₹20.21 lakh, registered one FIR and arrested nine people. Officials also seized five vehicles allegedly used to transport the products, with a combined value of ₹98 lakh.

FDA Steps Up Statewide Enforcement

The latest inspections cover a wide range of violations, including temperature control, food handling, sanitation, storage, labelling and prohibited products. The FDA has indicated that it will pursue further legal action in cases where violations are confirmed as the statewide enforcement campaign continues.

Source: The Telegraph Online