Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Sep 15: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday suspended the licences of Cafe Mondegar, a popular restaurant in Colaba, and three other food establishments across Mumbai following inspections that revealed serious food safety and hygiene violations.

The regulatory body inspected Cafe Mondegar at Metro House in Colaba on September 12, uncovering multiple deficiencies, including a failure to maintain hot food above the prescribed 60°C and cold storage below 5°C. Officials also noted improper food thawing methods, inadequate rapid cooling of cooked items, and structural and sanitation flaws that heightened the risk of cross-contamination.

Alongside Cafe Mondegar, the FDA suspended the licences of the Maharashtra Biryani Centre in Kandivali East, Tribhuvan Dairy Farm in Ghatkopar West, and Mahavir Cashew & Foods Pvt Ltd in Ghatkopar East for violating Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, which mandates strict hygiene and sanitation norms for food business operators.

Intensified Festival Season Crackdown

Led by new FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, the department has intensified its statewide campaign targeting food safety, adulteration, and hygiene lapses. As part of a special festival season drive between September 11 and 14, authorities inspected 38 food establishments in Mumbai and collected 47 samples—including milk, khoya, ghee, and sweets—for laboratory analysis.

During these operations, action was also initiated against nine other Mumbai food outlets for localized deficiencies, including:
• Ruhafza Bakery (Khar West)
• Chandru's Pure Ghee Sweets and Sharma Dairy & Fast Food (Andheri West)
• Punjabi Chandu Halwai LLP (Grant Road East)
• Shri Narayan Dairy (Vile Parle West)
• Gulshan Dairy Farm (Khar West)

Significant quantities of suspect or substandard stock were seized across various inspections, including 23 kg of sweet barfi at Ayush Milk Supplier (Andheri East) and 225 kg of khoya at Brijwasi Mithaiyan Shop (Mulund West).

Statewide Seizures and Banned Products

The crackdown extended across Maharashtra, resulting in major seizures of substandard and adulterated milk products, sweets, and transport-intercepted items totaling over 4,138 kg alongside liquid milk, valued at approximately Rs 15.58 lakh.

In separate joint operations with local police targeting banned substances like gutkha and prohibited food items, authorities intercepted shipments and arrested multiple individuals across Jalna, Beed, and Mumbai districts, seizing contraband and transport vehicles worth crores under stringent provisions including the MCOCA and the Food Safety and Standards Act.