Nearly every hotel from among the 68 surveyed by the FDA failed to meet established hygiene practices, food quality standards and lacked essential health certificates. The findings prompted the FDA to issue improvement notices to multiple hotels, signalling a call for stricter adherence to health and safety regulations.
On August 13, a customer at Papa Pancho Da Dhaba in Bandra discovered a dead mouse in a chicken dish. A police complaint was filed, leading to charges of food adulteration and endangerment of human life, and the FDA initiated an investigation into the matter.
To avoid such instances, the agency launched a special campaign to inspect hotels across all 13 zones in Mumbai from September. Over the course of 12 days, total 68 hotels were thoroughly examined, revealing regulatory violations in 64 of them.
Two hotels faced more serious issues, resulting in financial penalties, while two others received stop-work orders.
An FDA official said, “We screen eateries on approximately 80 to 90 critical parameters. Several hotels were found to be lacking in cleanliness, where either the condition of the kitchen was unhygienic or the trash bins were not covered. Moreover, FDA regulations mandate that hotel staff wear gloves and caps while on duty.”Additionally, hotel employees are required to undergo medical examinations and possess fitness certificates to ensure they are free from contagious diseases. But during inspection, it was found that several hotel staff members lacked these essential certificates.
The FDA official said the hotels have been provided an opportunity to rectify their shortcomings, with the FDA warning that failure to make necessary improvements, despite receiving notices, will result in stringent action, including fines and potential licence revocations.Former FDA commissioner Mahesh Zagade said, “These revelations underscore the need for rigorous enforcement of FDA rules, sending a clear message to hotel owners that there can be no compromise when it comes to adhering to regulations designed to safeguard public health and well-being.”