The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has suspended six food business licences and issued suspension orders against two more establishments linked to Reliance Consumer Products, Reliance Retail, Zomato Hyperpure and Blinkit Commerce after inspections found lapses in the storage, documentation and disposal of expired, damaged and returned food products across Thane, Navi Mumbai and Pune.
The coordinated inspections in October resulted in the seizure of food stock worth Rs 5,00,14,040 across 10 locations. The largest seizure was made at a cold storage facility in Turbhe, Navi Mumbai, where officials seized 91,353 kg of dry fruits and spices valued at Rs 4,12,53,300. The FDA also collected 32 samples of unlabelled and defectively labelled products for analysis.
At Sawla Foods and Cold Storage Pvt Ltd in the TTC Industrial Area, officials found expired, unlabelled and defectively labelled food products belonging to various businesses. The licence was suspended with immediate effect in the interest of public health. The seizure included dates, raisins, dry ginger, pistachios, poppy seeds, black pepper, almonds and other dry fruits and spices.
The FDA said establishments were unable to produce complete, independently verifiable records showing the identity, batch details, quantity, movement, transportation, receipt and final destruction or lawful disposal of expired and rejected stock. Inspectors also found missing quarantine arrangements, discrepancies in carton counts and recorded weights, and disposal agencies that either lacked the required Pollution Control Board consent or were unlicensed.
At Reliance Consumer Products’ Wadpe facility in Bhiwandi, inspectors recorded about 4,659 kg of expired stock valued at Rs 3,71,984 and 1,41,419 kg of damaged stock valued at Rs 11,98,641. The FDA said complete and consistent records for transportation, receipt and final disposal through named vendors were not available. At a Reliance Retail facility in Wadpe, around 300 kg of spoiled and expired stock was found in a quarantine area, but officials said final disposal certificates, vehicle details, e-way bills, weighment slips and photographs were not produced.
At Zomato Hyperpure in Usatane, Ambernath, officials recorded 5,431 products weighing about 9,590 kg and valued at Rs 7,80,620 as spoiled, expired or rejected. The inspection report cited cockroach and rat infestation, packets gnawed by rats, leaking products, food and Ayurvedic medicines stored on the same rack, and deficiencies in cold-chain maintenance and vehicle hygiene. The licence was suspended on October 15 after a hearing.
Blink Commerce’s warehouse in Pagaon, Bhiwandi, was found holding around 18,405 items of expired and spoiled food worth Rs 32,71,774. The FDA said the company did not provide sufficient weighment slips, transportation details, receipt records and final disposal certificates. An FIR, numbered 0817/2026, was registered at Bhiwandi Taluka Police Station on October 23. At Cloudstore Retail’s Unit 2 near Padgha toll naka, officials found 7,566 items valued at Rs 6,88,042 and registered FIR No. 0454/2026 at Padgha Police Station on October 26.
The FDA has introduced a statewide compliance order requiring expired, spoiled, customer-returned and rejected food to be kept in separate locked quarantine areas. Businesses must use authorised disposal agencies and preserve independent evidence, including vehicle details, weighment slips, e-way bills and timestamped photographs or videos. The department said inspections and legal action would continue across Maharashtra. Consumers have been advised to check manufacturing dates, batch numbers, best-before details and packaging condition, and can report suspicious products through the FDA helpline at 1800222365 or its online grievance portal.
