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A routine food-safety inspection at a quick-commerce facility in Mumbai has turned into regulatory action after officials found cockroaches on fruit and vegetable stock, expired food products and food items stored directly on the floor.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended the food licence of a Blink Commerce Private Limited store in Malad West following the inspection conducted on August 7.

The findings went beyond a single storage issue. Officials flagged rusty racks, poorly maintained cold-storage areas and inadequate pest and rodent control measures, along with concerns over the way food products were being handled and monitored, reported Business Today.

For a business built around getting groceries and other products to consumers quickly, the inspection put the focus squarely on what happens inside the store before those products leave for a customer's doorstep.

Expired Products, Damaged Items Found During Inspection

The inspection uncovered several problems with food storage and inventory management.

According to the Maharashtra FDA, some food products at the facility had expired, while other items were found to be damaged or appeared to have been tampered with.

Officials also found food products being kept directly on the floor. The storage racks were rusty and the cold-storage areas were not adequately maintained.

Pest control emerged as another concern, with a large number of cockroaches observed on fruit and vegetable stock. The FDA also noted that measures to control pests and rodents were inadequate.

The facility was further found to be not properly following the First In, First Out (FIFO) and First Expiry, First Out (FEFO) systems for managing food inventory.

Food Handlers' Hygiene Also Flagged

The inspection did not stop at the condition of the products and storage areas.

The FDA identified shortcomings in waste management as well as the personal hygiene of employees handling food. Medical examinations and health records of food-handling workers were found to be inadequate.

The provision of required personal protective equipment (PPE) was also found to be unsatisfactory.

Following the inspection, the FDA suspended the establishment's food licence under Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The order directs the food business operations at the establishment to remain suspended until further instructions.

Blinkit Action Part Of Larger Mumbai Food Safety Drive

The action against the Malad West facility comes as the Maharashtra FDA carries out a wider enforcement drive across Mumbai under Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.

Between May 25 and July 31, the department inspected 3,137 hotels, restaurants, eateries and other food establishments across the city.

The inspections resulted in 764 improvement notices and 165 licence suspensions.

The scale of the enforcement action can also be seen in the quantity of food products seized or destroyed. According to Mundhe, products weighing 28.66 lakh kg, with a value of Rs 55.72 crore, were seized or destroyed during the drive.

What Happens After A Food Licence Is Suspended?

A licence suspension does not necessarily mean that an establishment will remain shut permanently.

Mundhe has clarified that businesses facing suspension are given an opportunity to rectify the violations identified during inspections. After compliance is verified, the FDA conducts hearings before deciding whether the suspension should be revoked.

Of the 165 establishments whose licences were suspended during the enforcement drive, 103 have filed appeals. Interim relief has been granted in eligible cases after compliance verification.

The process therefore allows establishments to address the deficiencies identified by the food safety authority before a final decision is taken.

FDA Asks Citizens To Report Violations

The Maharashtra FDA has urged citizens to report food-safety violations and stressed that food quality and hygiene standards cannot be compromised.

For the Blinkit facility in Malad West, the immediate outcome of the August 7 inspection is clear: its food licence has been suspended following findings that included expired products, inadequate storage conditions, pest-control shortcomings and deficiencies in food-handler hygiene.

The case also comes amid a broader inspection drive in Mumbai, where the food safety department is scrutinising establishments across the city for compliance with food safety requirements.