Meat blood residue, urinal in food storage: Maharashtra FDA shuts Mumbai's 108-year-old Olympia Coffee House

Mumbai's Olympia Coffee House had its food licence suspended after an FDA inspection found cockroaches, flies, meat blood residue in a refrigerator and a urinal in the food storage area, along with unclean water and poor food handling, raising serious food safety concerns.

In Short

• Inspection followed a consumer complaint under the Safe Food Safe Maharashtra campaign
• Officials found food handled on floors and utensils washed unhygienically
• Raw vegetarian and non-vegetarian items were not properly segregated inside

Cockroaches, flies, meat blood residue inside a refrigerator and a urinal in the food storage area were among the food safety and hygiene violations found at Olympia Coffee House in Mumbai's Colaba, prompting the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to suspend the restaurant's food licence with immediate effect.

The action was taken on Wednesday after the FDA received a consumer complaint under its “Safe Food Safe Maharashtra” campaign. An inspection of the premises subsequently revealed a series of violations relating to food storage, preparation, handling and hygiene, raising concerns over the safety of food served at the establishment.

Among the most striking findings was the presence of a urinal in the food storage area. Officials also found food being handled directly on the floor, along with unhygienic food preparation and utensil-washing facilities.

Meat blood residues were also found inside a refrigerator, while raw vegetarian and non-vegetarian food was not properly segregated, according to the FDA.

The inspection further revealed an infestation of cockroaches and flies at the premises. The establishment was also found using damaged wooden chopping boards for food preparation.

The FDA flagged concerns over the quality and handling of water used at the premises, with unclean water found to be in use.

Food handlers were also not wearing appropriate protective clothing, adding to the hygiene concerns recorded during the inspection.

The violations extended to staff training and mandatory compliance requirements. Of the 35 food handlers at the establishment, 34 had not undergone the required food safety training, according to the inspection findings.

Officials also found that mandatory water testing reports and essential sanitation records were not available at the premises.

The absence of these records, along with the physical hygiene violations, formed part of the basis for the immediate action against the establishment.

Given the serious deficiencies and potential public health risk, the FDA suspended the food licence under Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which provides for licence suspension over non-compliance, along with the relevant food licensing regulations.

The suspension means Olympia Coffee House has been directed to cease all activities related to the purchase, preparation, storage, sale and distribution of food during the period of suspension.

The restaurant will be able to seek further action only after the deficiencies identified during the inspection have been completely rectified and the premises undergo a satisfactory re-inspection, the FDA said.

NAIR HOSPITAL CANTEEN LICENCE SUSPENDED

The action against Olympia Coffee House was among food safety measures undertaken by the Maharashtra FDA on September 16. On the same day, officials also inspected the canteen at Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central and found serious violations of food safety and hygiene standards.

The Nair Hospital canteen's licence was also suspended with immediate effect, with the FDA citing concerns over the health and safety of patients and citizens. Further legal action against the canteen is underway, according to the department.

LICENCE OF CAFE MONDEGAR ALSO SUSPENDED

Just a day earlier, the FDA on Tuesday had suspended the licences of Cafe Mondegar and three other Mumbai food establishments after inspections found serious hygiene and food safety violations, including improper food storage temperatures, inadequate thawing and cooling practices, poor sanitation and structural deficiencies that could increase the risk of cross-contamination.

The action also covered Maharashtra Biryani Centre, Tribhuvan Dairy Farm and Mahavir Cashew & Foods Pvt Ltd for violations of mandatory hygiene and sanitation norms under Schedule 4.

FDA CRACKS DOWN ON ERRANT EATERIES

The FDA, under new commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, has stepped up its crackdown on food safety, adulteration and hygiene violations as part of its festival-season drive.

The Maharashtra FDA has suspended the licences of 199 eateries after inspecting more than 1,800 hotels, clubs and dhabas across the state over the past three months, officials said last week.

The Pune division recorded the highest number of licence suspensions, while inspectors issued 948 improvement notices over critical cold-chain and sanitation violations.

- Ends