look news india
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken an aggressive stance to crack down on adulteration and misleading advertisements during the festive season across the country. This time, not small shops but the country’s famous 5-star hotels, leading e-commerce platforms and major food manufacturers have come on the radar of the regulator. FSSAI has issued show-cause notices and rectification notices to New Delhi-based luxury hotel Radisson Blu, the company that operates it, online grocery delivery giant BigBasket and Flipkart India for gross violation of rules. Along with this, after serious flaws were found, the manufacturing license of spice and food items manufacturing company ‘DNV Food Products’ has been suspended with immediate effect. This major action of the regulator has created a stir in the entire hospitality and quick-commerce sector.
Often people go to dine in five-star hotels thinking that international standards of cleanliness and hygiene will be followed there, but the facts revealed during the inspection of Delhi-based Radisson Blu Hotel (AB Hotels Limited) are extremely shocking. The FSSAI investigation team found serious deficiencies in the kitchen and storage areas of the hotel.
The following mainly irregularities were found during inspection:
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Presence of insects and carelessness in storage: Adequate arrangements for pest control were not found in the kitchen and food storage areas.
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Improper segregation of raw and cooked food: Vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items, and raw and cooked food, were stored together instead of being kept at separate safe temperatures, creating a high risk of cross-contamination.
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Violation of hygiene protocol: Many employees cooking and serving food were found working without headnets (hair nets) and gloves.
FSSAI has served strict improvement notices to the hotel management and ordered them to take corrective steps and submit ‘Action Taken Report’ within the stipulated time frame. If this is not done, a warning has been given that the license of the hotel will be suspended.
In the digital age, people blindly trust e-commerce apps to order groceries online, but FSSAI has tightened the noose on this misleading propaganda. The regulator has issued show cause notices to Gemini Edibles & Fats, Innovative Retail Concepts (BigBasket) and Flipkart India over the promotion of ‘Freedom Cooking Rice Bran Oil’.
The investigation found that unproven and misleading health claims were being made in the oil advertisements on the platforms, which were related to reducing cholesterol and heart health. According to FSSAI rules, it is illegal to make claims of curing diseases or providing special health benefits on food products without scientific certification and prior approval of the regulator. Additionally, deficiencies were also found in the processes for obtaining a valid central license required for online food delivery. The three companies have been asked why punitive action should not be taken against them under the Food Safety Act, 2006.
Manufacturers have also been hit hard for flouting strict food safety standards. FSSAI has suspended the license of ‘DNV Food Products Ltd’ with immediate effect. A surprise visit to the factory found that the products were being processed and repacked in an extremely unhygienic environment. Apart from this, the company did not even have food-grade packaging certificate, migration report and mock recall records.
At the same time, for continuously violating the rules and continuing to operate illegally despite earlier suspension, the food license of the operator named ‘Jhanvitanni’ has been permanently canceled and instructions have been given to stop its operations completely.
This nationwide action by FSSAI makes it clear that whether it is a luxury five-star hotel, a billion-dollar e-commerce company or a packaged food manufacturer, playing with public health will not be tolerated at any cost. Consumers in cities like Delhi, Noida, Lucknow or Mumbai are advised to check the nutrition label and FSSAI number on packaged items while ordering food online. Don’t be fooled by miraculous or misleading health claims of any product and immediately report on FSSAI’s ‘Food Safety Connect’ app if you notice any food irregularities in a restaurant or delivery.