India’s Food Safety Crackdown Intensifies: Restaurants, Quick-Commerce Warehouses, Food Makers Face Action Over Hygiene Violations, Adulteration, Misleading Labels and Expired Stock

India's food regulatory bodies have tightened enforcement across India's food and beverage sector, from labelling standards for spirits makers to hygiene compliance for restaurants and delivery platforms. Several hotels and eateries have been subjected to temporary closure across Maharashtra due to non-compliance hygiene and warehouse orders.

The Food and Drug Administration's has suspended licenses at sixteen restaurants and e-commerce warehouses. The authority has also suspended one license each of dark store operators Bhagwati Store in Mumbai and Swinsta ENT Pvt Ltd in Pune. Permits of 12 warehouses of Indian grocery giants Eternal, Swiggy and Zepto, has been suspended dur to cockroach infestation and rotten vegetables found in several storage facilities.

The nationwide crackdown by FSSAI and FDA was triggered by a surge in severe hygiene failures, widespread food adulteration, viral consumer complaints, and deceptive marketing. Inspections revealed widespread rodent, cockroach, and lizard infestations, expired stock, and broken cold chains across high-end hotels, quick-commerce dark stores, and major restaurant chains.

Outlets of Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonald's, Subway, a restaurant named Burger King in Pune, Starbucks, and Monginis faced sweeping checks resulting in 95 improvement notices and temporary closure directives for select non-compliant spots.
There were also crackdown on Domino's pizza (Jubilant Foodworks) outlets. The Maharashtra food regulator has also suspended license of Parle Agro's key distribution warehouse in Chembur, Mumbai, after expired stocks of Frooti, Appy Fizz, and Candy Juice were seized.

Licenses of 10 manufacturing firms have been permanently cancelled over severe quality-control and manufacturing standard violations under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Meanwhile, the authority issued formal show-causer notices for Good Manufacturing Practice non-compliance to 135 manufacturers, reports said. In addition, FDA has issued show-cause notices to celebrities' such as Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff over their endorsement of a cardamom campaign alleged to act as a surrogate front for promoting banned pan masala products.

Several restaurants and food operators have approached the Bombay High Court and its benches in Nagpur and Aurangabad against sudden license suspensions by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, according to reports. However, courts have stayed or reversed suspensions in multiple cases, noting that spot-suspensions without due process are harsh unless an immediate public health emergency exists.

FSSAI Crackdown

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on Sunday said six companies have taken corrective actions. After warnings from the FSSAI, six food companies have acted to rectify issue with their labeling. These measures entail the withdrawal of misleading claims and updates to product packaging.

Meanwhile, one of the spirits giant has agreed to reformulate several top-selling liquor brands, after a nationwide flavouring dispute with FSSAI, according to reports. The move follows a ban in some states by India's food safety regulator over how flavours were added to the drinks.

After the crackdown by the food regulators, several eateries and brand are contesting the matter in the Bombay High Court.

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