The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food licence of Blink Commerce Pvt Ltd, the corporate entity behind Blinkit’s Malad West warehouse, after a food safety inspection found several serious hygiene and food safety violations, including expired and tampered products, improper storage and a large-scale cockroach infestation, The Times of India reported.
The action followed an inspection by food safety officials at the facility in Sarvodaya Bhuvan on Ramchandra Lane on 7 August.
According to FDA officials, the warehouse was in a severely unhygienic condition, with food items stored on rusted racks or directly on the floor. Cockroach infestation was also found in stocks of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Officials said the warehouse lacked adequate pest and rodent control measures across storage and handling areas. They also flagged poor waste management practices and the storage of expired, damaged and tampered packaged food items alongside fresh stock in cold rooms.
The inspection also found that fitness and health check-up records for food handlers were missing, and that workers lacked proper protective gear.
FDA takes action
This is the second time in recent weeks that a Blinkit warehouse licence has been suspended. In late July, the FDA took action against another Blinkit warehouse in Pune.
Last year, the FDA had also suspended the licence of a Blinkit facility in Pune after finding fungal growth on food items, stagnant and clogged water near storage areas, improper cold storage with temperatures not being maintained as required, and wet, unclean floors. Food items were also found stored directly on the floor.
The FDA took similar action against a Zepto warehouse in Dharavi after finding comparable hygiene and food safety violations and suspended its licence.
The Maharashtra FDA has also recently faced judicial scrutiny over action taken against a warehouse operated by Amazon. Instead of suspending the licence, the Bombay High Court directed Amazon to hand over expired and perished goods from its Bhiwandi facility to the FDA for scientific and safe disposal, according to The Hindustan Times.
