Mumbai, 14 Aug: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of 14 food business establishments tied to fast-delivery platforms following a statewide inspection that flagged serious food-safety and hygiene violations, officials said on Friday.
Scope of inspections and immediate actions
The regulator said teams inspected 86 outlets that sell and deliver ready-to-eat and packaged food through online platforms on 13 August. After the exercise the FDA issued 60 improvement notices and directed one outlet to stop operations with immediate effect. Licences were suspended where the regulator found non-compliance it described as serious.
Which companies were affected
Of the 14 suspensions, the FDA reported that:
- 5 were linked to Blinkit outlets;
- 5 to Zepto outlets;
- 2 to Instamart outlets;
- 1 to Bhagwati Stores; and
- 1 to Swinsta Ent Pvt Ltd.
The agency said it carried out checks across multiple districts and initiated suspensions where lapses posed immediate public-health risks.
| Company / Entity | Number of licences suspended |
|---|---|
| Blinkit | 5 |
| Zepto | 5 |
| Instamart | 2 |
| Bhagwati Stores | 1 |
| Swinsta Ent Pvt Ltd | 1 |
Examples of deficiencies found
The FDA listed a range of shortcomings that formed the basis for action. Inspectors examined storage facilities, temperature-control practices, overall cleanliness, pest-management measures, personal hygiene of food handlers, adherence to FIFO/FEFO (First In, First Out / First Expired, First Out) systems, maintenance of food-safety records and the public display of licences.
In Pune, a Zepto outlet in Lohegaon was suspended after inspectors discovered items being kept beyond their declared "Use By" dates, failure to follow FIFO/FEFO procedures, poor storage conditions, inadequate pest control and lapses in personal hygiene. The FDA said the firm's response at a subsequent hearing was unsatisfactory.
At Warje Jakat Naka in Pune, the licence of Swinsta Ent Pvt Ltd was suspended after teams found a cockroach infestation, cold-chain maintenance problems for frozen products, temperature-control failures and serious deficiencies in hygiene and pest-control measures.
In Mumbai's Malad (West), a Blinkit facility was found to be operating with a chiller-room temperature of 6°C, which the FDA judged to be above appropriate levels for certain food categories. Inspectors also noted that around 40 food handlers at the facility had not undergone the requisite medical examinations.
What the regulator said and what comes next
The FDA said suspensions were imposed where deficiencies were severe and posed health risks to consumers. Establishments issued improvement notices have been given time-bound directions to rectify shortcomings; the regulator added that licences will be restored only after satisfactory compliance is demonstrated and formal reassessment is completed.
Regulatory officials said the drive targeted the growing segment of quick commerce — outlets that handle high volumes of perishable and ready-to-eat items with rapid turnover and distribution — because such operations require strict temperature controls and traceable stock rotation to prevent food-borne illness.
Implications for consumers and businesses
Public-health experts routinely caution that failures in cold-chain management, expired products and pest infestation can lead to food-borne outbreaks. For consumers in Pune, Mumbai and other cities where these platforms operate, the FDA action underlines the need for vigilance in food sourcing and packaging.
For the companies affected, the suspensions could interrupt fulfilment capacity in local pockets until licences are reinstated. The FDA’s public notices also serve as a reminder for other quick-commerce operators to review internal controls, staff medical certification and pest-management systems.
Officials did not release names of all individual outlets beyond those cited; company responses to the FDA orders were not available in the regulator's public statement at the time of reporting.
Further inspections and follow-up hearings are expected as the FDA monitors compliance and decides on restoration of licences where corrective action has been completed.
Sameer Joshi
