The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food licence of a Blinkit facility in Akola and the food registrations of two Mumbai eateries, Delhi Sweet and Bhelpuri House in Malad West and Gulzar Mohammadi Hotel in Kurla West after inspections found serious hygiene and food-safety violations. The action, announced on September 1, 2026, followed surprise inspections and, in Blinkit’s case, a re-inspection that found earlier deficiencies had not been corrected.
Officials reported issues ranging from food being stored near dirty drains and unsafe water use to cockroach infestation, poor storage and inadequate hygiene among food handlers. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said stringent legal action would be taken against establishments that compromise food quality and public health.
Dirty Drains, Unsafe Water
The FDA’s findings at Delhi Sweet and Bhelpuri House in Malad West highlighted multiple concerns. Inspectors found food being stored close to a dirty drain, while an unfiltered overhead water tank was reportedly being used for cooking and drinking without the required water-testing reports. The premises was also producing and repacking items such as lassi, sweets, paneer and farsan despite holding a licence only for prepared foods. Unlabelled paneer and lassi without expiry dates were seized. Of the 36 food handlers inspected, 26 reportedly did not have mandatory medical certificates, while some workers were found with unbandaged burns and overgrown nails.
At Gulzar Mohammadi Hotel in Kurla West, an inspection conducted on August 27 found severe unhygienic conditions, including cockroach infestation, contaminated food, poor drainage and the absence of required water-testing reports. The establishment scored just 24 out of 88 marks, 28 per cent in the FDA’s hygiene assessment. It has been barred from producing, storing, selling or distributing food until further orders.
Blinkit Licence Suspended After Reinspection
The FDA’s action against Blinkit’s Akola facility came after a preliminary inspection on August 12, followed by an Improvement Notice issued on August 13. Although the company submitted a compliance report, a subsequent inspection found that several deficiencies remained. Officials cited poor storage conditions, unsuitable and overcrowded racks, food and non-food items being stored together, food packets kept directly on the floor, accumulated dust and waste, and the absence of a regular cleaning schedule. Workers were also reportedly handling food without gloves or headgear, while purchase and sales invoices and audit records were not produced for inspection.
Following a hearing on August 31, the FDA concluded that the deficiencies identified in the Improvement Notice had not been adequately addressed and suspended Blink Commerce Private Limited’s state food licence with immediate effect, until further orders. The action comes amid heightened scrutiny of food businesses and quick-commerce facilities in Maharashtra. The FDA has also recently faced judicial scrutiny over separate enforcement action against other establishments, underlining the importance of ensuring that regulatory action follows due process while protecting consumers.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Food safety is not merely a regulatory requirement, it is a matter of public trust. Whether food reaches a customer through a neighbourhood eatery or a quick-commerce platform, consumers should be able to expect basic standards of cleanliness, safe storage, proper labelling and responsible food handling. At the same time, enforcement must remain transparent, evidence-based and fair, giving businesses an opportunity to correct genuine shortcomings while ensuring that serious violations are not overlooked.
Strong inspections can encourage better practices across the food industry, but lasting change also requires businesses to treat hygiene as a responsibility towards the people they serve, rather than simply a compliance exercise. What steps do you think food businesses and regulators should take together to make food safety a shared responsibility?
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