Crusading India state food safety chief targets Eternal, Swiggy, Zepto in sweeping crackdown
MUMBAI: Maharashtra state’s food safety chief has intensified a crackdown on the food and grocery industries, suspending the permits of 12 warehouses of Indian grocery giants Eternal, Swiggy and Zepto after finding cockroach infestations and other unhygienic conditions. The latest raids targeting the “quick commerce” sector, where companies deliver groceries within minutes, come after the state’s…
Mumbai: Maharashtra's food safety chief has ramped up an aggressive crackdown on the food and grocery sectors, suspending the licenses of 12 Eternal, Swiggy, and Zepto warehouses due to unsanitary conditions. The intensified scrutiny, led by Maharashtra's new food safety head Tukaram Mundhe, follows previous hygiene violations at popular eateries in Mumbai.
Reports of food contamination are prevalent in India's food industry, but Mundhe's tough stance has garnered significant public and media attention. This week, four Domino's outlets, known for their stringent safety measures, were also shut down by the state FDA. The Food and Drug Administration inspected 86 establishments, issuing 60 improvement notices and suspending permits for five Eternal warehouses, five Zepto locations, and two Swiggy Instamart sites.
The $13 billion quick commerce industry, valued at billions of dollars, is now under intense scrutiny after raising concerns about public health. Photos shared by the FDA revealed rusted storage racks, cockroaches crawling over food items, and other unhygienic conditions. Consumers expressed outrage on social media, demanding a city-wide shutdown of quick commerce warehouses.
Mundhe emphasized the importance of maintaining public health standards, warning of stricter penalties against unsafe food preparation and storage practices.
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