5 eateries at Mumbai cricket body face FDA action

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food licences of five restaurants located at the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) premises due to alleged violations of food safety norms. The deficiencies identified by inspectors include problems with storage, food handling, refrigeration, and sanitation, as reported by officials to PTI on Monday.

This action is part of a broader statewide initiative by the food safety authority, which has suspended the licences of a total of 11 food establishments, including the five at MCA. During the inspection drive, authorities visited 45 hotels, restaurants, eateries, and dhabas, issuing improvement notices to 33 places and conducting 25 raids.

The five MCA restaurants facing FDA scrutiny are the Permit Room, Pavilion, Mediterranean, Oriental Swing, and Clubway & Pastry Counter. In the case of the Permit Room, inspectors discovered ice buildup in a kitchen refrigerator, a dirty and slippery floor near the kitchen entrance, inadequate temperature control, substandard raw material, and shortcomings in food storage and handling.

The Pavilion also faced action for similar issues, including ice accumulation in refrigerators, unclean components, poor segregation of food items in cold storage, improper refrigeration calibration, and deficiencies in cooling and storage practices.

The Mediterranean outlet was penalized for inadequate sanitation of food equipment, improper cooling, poor portioning practices, inadequate thawing of frozen food, insufficient temperature controls, and shortcomings in raw material and packaging handling. Oriental Swing was found to have an improperly calibrated refrigeration system, a dirty kitchen floor, damaged wall paint or plaster, insufficient sanitation, and deficiencies in temperature control and oil quality checks.

Clubway & Pastry Counter received criticism for inadequate workspace, improper storage of raw food, absence of gloves for food handlers, and inadequate measures to prevent dust, dirt, and insects from entering the food preparation area. It was also discovered that the food business was being conducted under an establishment name without a valid food licence; subsequently, the registration certificate of this outlet was suspended.

The latest action against these restaurants follows the FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe's appeal to consumers to refrain from purchasing loose or unsealed edible oil, as it is deemed unsafe, and the issuance of a compliance order due to violations, such as adulteration. This recent crackdown on the MCA restaurants is part of a larger effort by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who requested the FDA to create standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent edible oil adulteration without harming the businesses of traditional oil traders and small retailers.

Fadnavis emphasized the need for a balanced approach between stringent quality enforcement and the protection of traditional businesses during a state Cabinet meeting. The state government aims to draft SOPs that address both food safety requirements and the concerns of traders and small consumers.