Mumbai: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of 14 food business establishments linked to quick-commerce platforms Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart after a statewide inspection drive uncovered serious food safety and hygiene violations.
The inspections, conducted on August 13, covered 86 establishments involved in the storage, sale and delivery of food through online platforms across Maharashtra. The FDA also issued 60 improvement notices and directed one facility to temporarily stop operations. No licence was cancelled during the drive.
Of the 14 suspended licences, five were linked to Blinkit, five to Zepto and two to Instamart. The remaining two licences belonged to Bhagwati Stores and Swinsta Ent Pvt Ltd, according to the regulator.
The inspections examined several aspects of food safety, including storage conditions, temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, personal hygiene of food handlers, food safety records and compliance with the First In, First Out (FIFO) and First Expired, First Out (FEFO) systems.
Expired Food, Pest Infestation Found
In Pune’s Lohegaon area, the FDA suspended the licence of a Zepto-linked establishment after inspectors found food products stored beyond their declared “Use By” dates. The facility was also found to have inadequate pest control, unhygienic storage conditions and poor personal hygiene practices. Inspectors further reported that FIFO and FEFO procedures were not being followed.
At a Swinsta Ent facility in Pune’s Warje area, officials found cockroach infestation, inadequate cold-chain maintenance for frozen products and deficiencies in temperature control, cleanliness and pest management.
Several Blinkit facilities in Mumbai were also found to be non-compliant. At a facility in Malad West, the chiller-room temperature was recorded at 6 degrees Celsius, above the prescribed level. The FDA said around 40 food handlers had not undergone medical examinations or did not have available medical records. Some workers were also not using headgear, aprons or gloves.
The Malad facility reportedly had disorganised storage, damaged or rusted racks and inadequate segregation of vegetarian, non-vegetarian, cooked and dairy products. The inspection also identified gaps in staff training and food safety supervision.
At a Blinkit facility in Ghatkopar, inspectors found poor drainage and waste-disposal arrangements, inadequate temperature control for frozen products, unprotected lighting fixtures in an unpacked-food storage area and poor housekeeping. The establishment scored 34 out of 74 points, or 46 per cent, and was classified as non-compliant.
A Blinkit facility in Mulund scored 81 out of 180 points, or 45 per cent. The FDA cited deficiencies in waste disposal, temperature control, lighting, separate storage arrangements and cleanliness. The establishment had also failed to prominently display its Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence.
Delivery Operations Examined
The inspection drive also covered delivery operations. At a Blinkit facility in Karad, Satara district, officials examined 125 delivery riders and found that none had identity cards or medical fitness records.
The FDA instructed the company to halt two-wheeler delivery operations from the facility until the deficiencies were rectified. The total value of food products seized during the wider enforcement action was reported at approximately Rs 46.9 lakh.
The action was taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules and regulations framed under it. Maharashtra Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe warned that the department would take stricter action against establishments that compromise public health.
The regulator has directed food businesses operating through online platforms to comply with prescribed standards for food storage, hygiene, pest control, temperature management and staff health records. The move is expected to intensify scrutiny of quick-commerce warehouses, which have become a major channel for the sale and rapid delivery of groceries and ready-to-eat products.
