FDA raids 11 Thane farsan makers, seizes food stocks worth ₹20.48 lakh
The Food and Drugs Authority of Maharashtra (FDA) has seized nearly 29 tonnes of food products and ingredients worth ₹20.48 lakh from 11 farsan and snack factories in Thane after inspections allegedly found that the units were operating without valid licenses and food was being prepared amid sewage, vermin and other grossly unsanitary conditions.
The FDA issued a stop-work order and suspended the licenses or registrations of all 11 establishments located in Bhaskar Compound in the Shil-Diwa Road area of Khardi village, the regulator said in a statement dated 10.
On September 9, FDA officials conducted a surprise raid on establishments manufacturing and selling farsan, wafers, chivda, namkeen and other food products.
During inspections, officials found stocks of potato wafers, farali chivda, spiced wafers, black pepper wafers, mixed farsan, sev, bhakarwadi, diet chivda, schezwan sticks and banana chips along with ingredients including maida, besan, pea flour and palm oil. Used edible oil was also found on the premises.
According to the FDA, some facilities were operating without obtaining a mandatory valid food license under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Inspectors also reportedly found the floors of production areas covered in accumulated oil and other debris, making them dirty and sticky, while roofs and walls in several units consisted of makeshift shelters. Parts of the production premises were opened to the outside environment.
The regulator said inadequate sewage drainage had resulted in waste water accumulating outside the premises, causing foul and musty odors in and around the premises.
Cockroaches and rodents were reportedly found in and around some of the units, while cows, dogs and cats often roamed the immediate vicinity. The surrounding areas were also described by the FDA as extremely dirty and unsanitary.
The workers allegedly prepared the food in dirty clothes without an apron, gloves or cap. The FDA also found that labels on packaged food products did not comply with applicable labeling regulations.
Among the 11 establishments against which action was taken were those of Rajesh Lalji Gupta, Rahul Foods, Krishna Banana Chips, Komal Wafers, Chaska Maska Foods, Om Sai Traders Farsan, Harish Chaska Food, Dharmraj Fruit Supply, Antima Farsan and Wafers, Nitya Farsan and Namkeen and Vimal.
In all, the officials seized 28,955 kg of raw materials and finished food products and 56 liters of edible oil with an aggregate value of ₹20,48,801.50.
The FDA said the stock was seized under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 on suspicion of adulteration and inferior quality, as well as because the food was allegedly produced under conditions that could make it unsafe for human consumption.
The Thane raid was part of a wider enforcement effort by the FDA against food businesses across Maharashtra. Separately, the regulator said the licenses or registrations of 10 businesses — six in Mumbai, one in Konkan division, two in Pune division and one in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division — have been suspended.
In Mumbai, inspections found a number of alleged violations of hygiene, pest control, food storage and handling.
At the Shri Gajanan Vadapav Snacks Center in Kanjurmarg West, inspected on September 8, the FDA alleged that temperature monitoring was not done regularly even though heating, cooling and cooling facilities were available. She also found inadequate pest protection and said vadapav was being prepared in an open kitchen with no doors. Some equipment and containers were also allegedly made of materials unsuitable for food contact.
At Samarth Sweets in Jogeshwari East, which was inspected following a complaint, officials found open drains and garbage near the entrance. The FDA said the manufacturing area lacked a proper linear workflow separating raw materials, processing and packaging, creating a risk of cross-contamination. Clothes, bedding and personal belongings were allegedly stored inside the production area.
At Ekvira Zunka Bhakar Kendra in Mulund East, officials reportedly found extremely cramped work space, inadequate ventilation, open trash cans and a food preparation area exposed to the outside. There was also a lack of separate storage of food and non-food items.
Manisha Sweets, also in Mulund East, was found to be running a manufacturing unit in what the FDA described as an open and unhygienic space at the rear of the premises. Layers of oil and soot had allegedly accumulated on the ceiling, ventilation was inadequate and the production area was not adequately protected from vermin.
At Nawab Seekh Corner, inspectors reportedly found ants in stored semolina, exposed raw meat, improper separation of raw, cooked and prepared foods, openly stored mint and other ingredients, and dirty and untidy refrigerators and storage areas. The FDA also cited inadequate cleaning and sanitation of facilities and ineffective implementation of first-in, first-out and first-expiration, first-out systems.
At the Ashwin Hotel, which was inspected on September 9, officials reported deficiencies in food storage and refrigeration, dirty and damaged floors and walls, inadequate ventilation and inadequate pest control.
The FDA also cited poor cleaning and sanitation, accumulated food waste and garbage, pest activity and inadequate pest control records at Jay Maharashtra Masala Dosa Corner.
Elsewhere in the state, the regulator has also taken action against establishments such as Hotel Shahi near Karadu, Saber Restaurant in Lonavala and Sairat Biryani in Koregaon Park in Pune for allegedly violating license conditions and hygiene requirements.
Meanwhile, at the Shelke Mama Dhaba restaurant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the FDA said deficiencies found during an earlier inspection remained unresolved when officials conducted a re-inspection on September 8.
The restaurant was first inspected on July 27 and issued an improvement notice on July 30. The FDA said it was initiating further action under the Food Safety and Standards Act after deficiencies persisted during the last inspection.
The enforcement action comes ahead of the holiday season, during which the FDA has also implemented advance notice requirements for large food distribution events.
Organizers of events involving mahaprasad, annachhatra, langar, bhandara and similar mass distribution of food during festivals, religious gatherings, fairs and urs have been asked to submit a “Mass Food Distribution Advance Notification Form” at least seven days before the event where food is prepared or distributed through licensed or registered vendors or kitchens.
The FDA said food operators at such events must ensure cleanliness, safe water supply, proper temperature control, separation of raw and cooked foods, personal hygiene among food handlers, and safe food storage.
Based on advance notices, officers will carry out risk-based checks, take samples and, if necessary, initiate immediate enforcement action.