The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has intensified its statewide food safety campaign, “Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra,” with inspections focusing on restaurants, hotels, food outlets and manufacturing units.
The inspection drive, conducted from July 10 to August 11, 2026, has resulted in improvement notices, licence suspensions, closures and seizures of suspected substandard food products.
The campaign has also brought several major food and restaurant brands under scrutiny, including Domino’s, KFC, McDonald’s, Subway, Burger King, Starbucks and Monginis.
During a special operation targeting chain restaurants on August 11, the FDA inspected 104 outlets across the state. Officials reported significant compliance gaps, with 95 outlets receiving improvement notices, five licences suspended and two establishments ordered to shut.
The inspections focused on essential food safety requirements such as hygiene, storage conditions, pest control, temperature monitoring, food-handling practices and maintenance of mandatory records.
Three Domino’s outlets in Mumbai—located in Vile Parle, Borivali and R-City Mall in Ghatkopar—were among the establishments facing regulatory action.
The FDA identified several shortcomings, including inadequate food storage, pest-related concerns, missing documentation and poor temperature-control practices.
The Borivali outlet reportedly recorded 54% non-compliance, while the Ghatkopar outlet was found lacking adequate sanitation systems, FIFO/FEFO inventory practices and mandatory food safety documentation.
The FDA's action against the outlets highlights the importance of maintaining food safety standards even at large, established restaurant chains.
Mumbai's iconic Shree Thaker Bhojanalay, an 81-year-old eatery renowned for its traditional Gujarati and Rajasthani thalis, also became the subject of online speculation after temporarily closing.
The restaurant is popular among locals and celebrities and has long been associated with traditional Gujarati cuisine. Its closure led to rumours that it had been shut because of hygiene or food safety violations during the ongoing FDA crackdown.
However, the restaurant subsequently clarified that the claims were incorrect. In a statement shared through its official Instagram account, the eatery said its temporary closure was part of planned kitchen upgrades, repairs and painting work.
The restaurant explained that regular operations could not continue while the kitchen was undergoing renovation and assured customers that it would reopen after the work was completed.
The FDA also inspected food-related establishments in Satara. A Domino’s production facility in Malkapur, Karad, reportedly recorded 47% non-compliance, with officials citing concerns related to infrastructure, cleanliness and pest control.
Sapphire Foods India in Karad was also penalised after inspectors found deficiencies including inadequate segregation between vegetarian and non-vegetarian food preparation areas. Officials also flagged missing expiry and packaging information on certain ingredients.
Separately, the wider statewide inspection of 120 hotels, restaurants and dhabas resulted in 54 improvement notices and 11 licence suspensions. In Nashik, five additional licences were suspended, while Daksh Hotel in Palghar was ordered shut after reportedly recording 45% non-compliance.
The violations identified during these inspections included problems with hygiene, food storage, water quality and pest management.
The FDA also seized several food products suspected of being substandard or improperly labelled.
In Raigad, officials seized 698 litres of suspected substandard milk. In Nashik, approximately 397.6 kg of ghee valued at Rs 2.75 lakh was seized.
A Pizza Hut outlet in Akola was found with 55 kg of misbranded frozen paneer, which was also confiscated. Some establishments inspected during the campaign were reportedly operating without the required registrations or licences.
Alongside the food safety inspections, the FDA continued its enforcement campaign against banned products such as gutkha, pan masala and flavoured tobacco.
Officials took action against 15 establishments, all of which were reportedly found violating applicable regulations. The operation resulted in 12 FIRs, 15 arrests and the sealing of nine establishments.
Authorities also seized three vehicles and confiscated banned products valued at approximately Rs 25.96 lakh.
The enforcement campaign extended to several other food products. In Kolhapur, the FDA seized 1,345 kg of jaggery, while Pune officials confiscated 15 kg of amrakhand and 598 kg of mava sweets. The total value of these seizures was reported at around Rs 3.02 lakh.
In Amravati, officials reportedly seized expired Domino’s dough balls and misbranded masala papad during inspections.
The Maharashtra FDA has indicated that inspections will continue across the state, with action against establishments that fail to meet food safety and licensing requirements.
The ongoing campaign underscores the authorities' focus on restaurant hygiene, food storage, pest control, product labelling, temperature management and regulatory compliance. For consumers, the inspections also highlight the importance of choosing licensed food establishments and remaining alert to food quality and hygiene standards.
With the “Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra” campaign continuing, more restaurants, food manufacturers and retailers could come under regulatory scrutiny in the coming weeks.
Share
Tweet
