Mumbai, August 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended 14 food business licences and issued 60 improvement notices following a statewide inspection drive targeting food establishments operating through quick-commerce and online food delivery platforms, including Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart.
The special drive was conducted on Thursday, with FDA teams inspecting 86 establishments across Maharashtra. In addition to the 14 licence suspensions, one establishment was directed to temporarily stop operations. No food business licence was cancelled during the exercise.
Five of the suspended licences were linked to Blinkit facilities and five to Zepto, while two were associated with Instamart. The licences of Bhagwati Store and Swinsta ENT Pvt. Ltd. were also suspended.
The inspections focused on food storage, hygiene, temperature control, pest management, food handling and compliance with safety procedures at warehouses and dark stores used by quick-commerce operators.
In Mumbai, a Blink Commerce Private Limited facility in Ghatkopar scored 34 out of 74, or 46 per cent, and was classified as non-compliant. Inspectors found dirty storage racks, inadequate separation of food and non-food items, rotten vegetables and cockroach infestation. Damaged flooring and ceilings were also reported, while records of medical examinations and drinking-water testing were unavailable.
A RAJIDI Retail facility in Bandra West scored 60 out of 136, or 45 per cent. FDA officials reported dust, cobwebs, food waste and substantial rodent droppings, along with rusted racks, damaged flooring and inadequate segregation. Medical records of food handlers were also not available.
A Zepto facility in Lokhandwala, Andheri West, scored 65 out of 140, or 47 per cent. The inspection found inadequate temperature control, no ante-room for frozen products, an improper warehouse layout and deficiencies in temperature monitoring and food-safety documentation.
At another RAJIDI Retail facility in Andheri West, officials found inadequate temperature control and violations of FIFO/FEFO practices. An expired packet of Zorabian Chicken Curry Cut, bearing an expiry date of August 12, 2026, was found stored at about 8 degrees Celsius against the required range of 0-4 degrees Celsius. The product was discarded during the inspection.
A Blink Commerce facility in Malad West scored 40 out of 74, or 55 per cent. The FDA found the chiller operating at 6 degrees Celsius and said medical examination records for around 40 food handlers were unavailable. Inadequate protective equipment, poor storage and segregation, and shortcomings in training and audits were also flagged.
The FDA suspended the facility’s FSSAI licence, barring it from procuring, selling or distributing food during the suspension period.
In Pune, a Zepto facility in Lohegaon was also subjected to licence suspension after inspectors detected temperature abuse in refrigerated and frozen storage areas. Officials additionally found products stored beyond their “Use By” dates, poor compliance with FIFO/FEFO practices, unhygienic conditions and inadequate pest-control measures.
The licence of Swinsta ENT Private Limited in Pune was separately suspended after inspectors reported cockroach infestation, inadequate cold-chain maintenance and serious deficiencies in hygiene and pest control.
The action comes amid increased regulatory scrutiny of food safety practices at quick-commerce warehouses and dark stores, where food products are stored before being delivered to consumers.
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