Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licence of Mumbai’s iconic K Rustom ice cream parlour near Churchgate railway station after a surprise inspection allegedly uncovered serious hygiene and food safety violations, including the presence of live rats, flies and expired flavouring agents.
The action was taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act as part of the FDA’s “Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra” campaign, officials said on Wednesday.
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In a statement, the regulator said, “The licence has been suspended after serious hygiene deficiencies and regulatory violations were detected during an inspection. The establishment has also been directed to remain closed until the reports of the food samples are received.”
According to the FDA, the inspection revealed large quantities of expired artificial flavouring agents and essences allegedly stored for use in preparing ice cream.
The expired products included pistachio, pineapple, sweet orange, cherry, almond, American ice cream soda, mixed fruit, strawberry, blackcurrant, rum Jamaica, lemon and plum flavours. Officials said the expired stock was destroyed on the spot to prevent its further use.
The inspection also found live rodents and flies inside the shop and storage areas, along with alleged lapses in maintaining the mandatory cold chain required for the safe storage and handling of ice cream.
Food samples collected during the inspection have been sent for laboratory analysis. The FDA said an earlier external laboratory report had found the parlour’s ice cream contained 7.94 per cent milk fat, below the minimum 10 per cent prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms.
The inspection was carried out by Food Safety Officers Tejaswini Patil and Akash Chavan under the supervision of Joint Commissioner (Food) P R Singarwad and Assistant Commissioner (Food) and Designated Officer Anupama Patil.
The FDA said the popular ice cream parlour will remain shut until the laboratory reports are received and further action is decided based on the findings.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
