Overview

A lunch outing at Irani Café in Kalyaninagar, Pune, turned alarming when a family discovered live worms crawling inside a cheese toast. Advocate Samuel Gode was dining with his wife and two young sons around 1 p.m. on Saturday when his seven-year-old son noticed movement in his mouth. Upon inspecting the sandwich, the family found live worms wriggling inside the melted cheese, after they had already eaten half of it.

Customer Alerts Staff, Receives Indifferent Response

Gode immediately reported the contaminated cheese toast to the café counter. The staff instructed the waiter to replace the dish, but showed little concern that his wife and children had already consumed it. Frustrated by their indifference, Gode recorded a video of the toast and shared it on social media.

Family Falls Ill After Eating Contaminated Food

Shortly after returning home, the family experienced symptoms of food poisoning. Gode’s wife and two sons vomited multiple times, and his younger child, just one-and-a-half years old, developed a persistent fever. A doctor diagnosed mild food poisoning and warned that hospitalisation might be required if his condition did not improve.

Café Owner Admits Error and Blames Spoiled Stock

Café owner Amir Khourji admitted the café failed to ensure food safety. He discovered two boxes of cheese spoiled with mould and worms, one of which had already been opened and served. The café discarded all contaminated stock and reported the issue to the supplier, who sources cheese from a leading Indian dairy company and has launched an internal review.

FDA Conducts Investigation

After the video went viral, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched an investigation. Officials inspected the café, found issues with both cheese and bread, and seized 11 kg of cheese worth ₹6,325 and 6.3 kg of bread worth ₹900 for testing. The FDA confirmed it would take legal action once laboratory results were available.

Public Calls for Stricter Food Safety Measures

The incident has reignited concerns over food safety and hygiene at popular Pune eateries. In July, customers reportedly found a shard of glass in a bun maska at another café on FC Road. Gode’s complaint and the FDA probe emphasise the urgent need for stronger inspections and accountability to ensure that food served to consumers is safe and hygienic.

Source: The Times of India