Expired Frooti, Appy Fizz Found at Mumbai Warehouse; FDA Suspends Licence After Raid
Mumbai: A food safety inspection at a Parle Agro warehouse in Mumbai has led to the seizure of expired beverage stock worth nearly ₹1 lakh, prompting authorities to suspend the licence of the premises.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted the inspection at a Velocity Express warehouse near Chembur Naka in the Gadkari area. Officials said they found expired batches of popular drinks including Appy Fizz, Frooti and Candy Juice stored at the facility.
The products were immediately seized and prohibited from being sold or transported, while the warehouse was sealed as the authorities continued their action.
Overnight FDA Raid at Chembur Warehouse
According to officials, the inspection began at around 6 pm on August 13 and continued until approximately 5 am the following day.
A team of eight FDA officials carried out the operation at the warehouse located in Prayag Nagar on LU Gadkari Marg in Chembur’s Washinaka locality.
During the inspection, officials identified expired beverage stock valued at around ₹99,970. The seized products included expired batches of Frooti, Appy Fizz and Candy Juice.
Authorities also impounded two vehicles that were reportedly being used to transport the products.
The warehouse was subsequently sealed, and officials said the food items stored there could not be sold or moved until further orders were issued.
Licence Suspended Following Inspection
The FDA suspended the food business licence of the warehouse as part of the action.
The seizure comes amid a wider campaign by Maharashtra’s FDA to improve food safety standards and crack down on establishments that fail to follow required hygiene and storage regulations.
Officials have been carrying out inspections at restaurants, warehouses, food outlets and other facilities across Mumbai.
Part of a Wider Food Safety Crackdown
The action against the Parle Agro warehouse comes just days after the FDA took action against several Domino’s Pizza outlets in Maharashtra.
On August 12, the food regulator suspended the licences of four Domino’s outlets, including three in Mumbai and one in Satara district, over alleged violations of food safety and hygiene requirements.
The Mumbai outlets were located in Vile Parle West, Borivali West and R-City Mall in Ghatkopar West. The fourth outlet was located in Satara.
During those inspections, officials reportedly identified issues involving food storage, pest control, potable water, sanitation and the display of FSSAI licences.
At one outlet, authorities directed the management to improve temperature monitoring and hygiene practices. Another outlet was reportedly found to have a 15 per cent non-compliance level and was asked to strengthen its food storage, testing and sanitisation procedures.
FDA Steps Up Inspections Across Mumbai
The latest action indicates that food safety inspections are becoming more intensive across Mumbai.
The FDA has been checking whether businesses are following basic requirements related to food storage, hygiene, pest control, licensing and the handling of products.
The seizure of expired beverages at the Chembur warehouse has also highlighted the importance of proper inventory management, particularly for products with limited shelf lives.
Authorities have made it clear that food products found to be expired or otherwise unsuitable for sale will not be allowed to enter the market.
The FDA’s continuing inspections are aimed at ensuring that food businesses maintain required safety standards and that consumers are protected from products that could pose health risks.
The investigation and regulatory action in the Parle Agro warehouse case are ongoing, with the seized stock remaining under the authorities’ control.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
