FDA Suspends License of Palghar Collectorate Canteen Over Expired Food

The Food and Drug Administration has suspended the licence of the canteen operating inside the Palghar District Collector’s office following a surprise inspection on July 24 that uncovered expired food items and serious hygiene violations.

The enforcement action was carried out by the Palghar unit of the Food and Drug Administration under the guidance of Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. The surprise inspection was conducted to evaluate compliance with sanitation standards and food safety norms at the government facility, which serves hundreds of government officials, office employees, and visitors every day.

During the search, inspecting officers discovered expired food items kept inside the canteen's stockroom. Authorities raised serious concerns regarding the discovery, noting that the expired goods could have been utilized in daily food preparation or sold directly to visitors, posing a direct potential risk to public health.

In addition to the expired stockroom inventory, officials observed poor hygiene conditions throughout the kitchen premises. The inspection team recorded multiple deficiencies in food preparation, storage, and handling procedures. The canteen was found to have failed to meet the basic statutory standards mandated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Taking note of the severity of the hygiene and safety violations, the FDA suspended the canteen's Food Safety and Standards Authority of India licence with immediate effect, halting all operations. Official legal proceedings have also been formally initiated against the canteen operator under the relevant legal provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.