Notice for Vimal Elaichi ad, Blinkit dark stores' licence suspension: Tukaram Mundhe’s FDA crackdown in Maharashtra

IAS Tukaram Mundhe-led Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has intensified the food safety drive in the state as it suspended the licences of 14 food businesses associated with online platforms including Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart after inspections uncovered food safety and hygiene violations, officials said on Friday. It has also served show-cause notices on actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their endorsement of Vimal Elaichi.

Suspension of licences of food business outlets run by Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart

The action followed a state-wide inspection drive on August 13, during which FDA teams checked 86 establishments across Maharashtra involved in selling and delivering food through online platforms, according to PTI.

It stated five of the 14 suspended licences were linked to Blinkit facilities and another five to Zepto. Two licences associated with Instamart were also suspended. The remaining two suspensions involved Bhagwati Stores and Swinsta Ent Pvt Ltd, with one licence each.

The inspections assessed key food safety measures, including storage conditions, temperature monitoring, cleanliness, pest control, staff hygiene and adherence to FIFO/FEFO practices. Officials also checked food safety documentation and whether valid licences were properly displayed.

The FDA said licences were suspended at establishments where inspections revealed serious violations of prescribed food safety and hygiene norms.

What did FDA say as it issued notice to SRK, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over Vimal Elaichi ad?

The regulator stated the advertisement appears to constitute “indirect or surrogate” promotion of banned pan masala and tobacco products, as per PTI.

The Maharashtra FDA noted the use of the name “VIMAL Elaichi” in the advertisement appeared to establish a direct link with the Vimal Pan Masala brand, potentially misleading consumers and indirectly promoting a prohibited product. The Greater Mumbai FDA division, in its August 11 notice, identified Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff as brand endorsers and gave them 15 days to respond.

Calling the notice a “final warning”, the FDA said the advertisement appeared prima facie to be misleading in relation to food and in violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, along with regulations framed under it. The notice also pointed to possible breaches of provisions governing surrogate or indirect advertising under other laws and guidelines.

The FDA instructed the three actors to immediately stop participating in or endorsing the Vimal Pan Masala/Elaichi advertisement and remove related promotional material from their official social media accounts, websites and other digital platforms under their control. They were also told not to assist in the advertisement’s broadcasting, publication, circulation or promotion in any manner.

The notice further sought details of the due diligence carried out by the actors or their agencies before they agreed to participate in the advertising campaign.

Blinkit facilities flagged for hygiene, storage lapses

At a Blinkit facility in Malad (West), Mumbai, FDA officials found the chiller room operating at 6°C, above the prescribed temperature limit. Around 40 food handlers had reportedly not undergone mandatory medical examinations, while the required records were also unavailable. Several workers were found without essential protective gear such as head covers, aprons and gloves. Inspectors also noted poorly arranged storage, damaged and rusted racks, inadequate separation of vegetarian, non-vegetarian, cooked and dairy products, along with gaps in staff training and food safety supervision.

At another Blinkit facility in Ghatkopar, inspectors identified inadequate drainage and waste-management systems, improper temperature control for frozen foods, exposed lighting fixtures in an area storing unpackaged food and poor housekeeping. The facility was classified as non-compliant after scoring 34 out of 74, equivalent to 46%, in the FDA's assessment.

Rat spotted in ice cream crate of Blinkit's outlet in Thane: Report

Earlier, a video allegedly showing a live rat inside an ice cream storage crate at Blinkit outlet in Kalyan’s Godrej Hill area has sparked outrage on social media, raising concerns over hygiene and food safety at rapid-delivery facilities, according to ANI. The footage reportedly shows rodents moving around stored frozen products at the local fulfilment centre of a major quick-commerce company.

The incident has prompted residents and consumers to demand immediate inspections by the FDA and civic authorities. They are seeking strict action against the facility if food safety and hygiene norms are found to have been violated.