FSSAI Issues Improvement Notice to Radisson Blu Delhi, Suspends DNV Food Products Licence
Jhanvitanni Licence Cancelled; Gemini Edibles, BigBasket and Flipkart Also Named in Food Safety Action
New Delhi, Oct 16, KNT: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken regulatory action against several food businesses, including AB Hotels Limited, which operates Radisson Blu Hotel in New Delhi, DNV Food Products Limited and Jhanvitanni, citing food safety non-compliance and, in some cases, misleading claims.
According to the notices released by the food safety regulator, AB Hotels Limited was issued an improvement notice following observations concerning hygiene, sanitation, food handling and maintenance at Radisson Blu Hotel, New Delhi.
The inspection observations included poorly maintained premises and equipment, refrigeration and freezer deficiencies, inadequate cleaning and pest control, stagnant water and drainage issues, and shortcomings in food procurement and receiving checks. Inspectors also reported improper segregation of raw and cooked food, vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, and allergenic and non-allergenic foods.
The notice further cited deficiencies in cooking oil suitability checks, with total polar compound (TPC) values of 31 and 24.4 reported in oils being used in the hotel’s New York City Kitchen. Food handlers were also found working without appropriate gloves and hairnets, while other observations concerned jewellery, long fingernails and the display and conditions of the FSSAI licence.
The company has been directed to take immediate corrective measures and submit a detailed Action Taken Report, supported by documentary and photographic evidence wherever applicable. The notice warns that failure to comply may invite further action, including suspension of the food safety licence.
In a separate action, FSSAI suspended the licence of DNV Food Products Limited with immediate effect, citing serious non-compliance observed during an inspection of its premises.
The findings listed in the notice included unhygienic conditions in areas used for manufacturing, packing and storing food, inadequate cleaning, stagnant water, cobwebs and flies, including a fly in direct contact with papad. Food handlers were reportedly not wearing gloves and masks while handling and packing food, and adequate handwashing and sanitation facilities were not provided.
Inspectors also observed rust and corrosion on processing equipment, damaged flooring, damp walls, flaking paint and inadequate ventilation and lighting. Raw materials, packaging materials and finished products were not properly segregated or stored, with some products kept directly on the floor or adjacent to walls.
The notice additionally cited the absence of required licence endorsements and food-grade packaging certificates, migration reports and mock-recall records. The suspension applies to the food business activities covered under the licence until further orders.
FSSAI also cancelled the licence of Jhanvitanni with immediate effect, citing continued non-compliance with food safety requirements and operation despite an earlier licence suspension.
The regulator said serious hygiene and sanitation deficiencies remained at the premises and that the business continued food operations despite directions issued by the authority. Corrective actions submitted by the business were found unsatisfactory, while mandatory hygiene, sanitation and Food Safety Management System requirements, including a Third-Party Audit, had not been met.
The business has been directed to stop all food business activities under the cancelled licence.
FSSAI’s accompanying announcement also named Gemini Edibles & Fats India Limited, BigBasket and Flipkart India Private Limited among the entities facing action over food safety non-compliance and misleading claims. The specific findings and nature of the regulatory action against these three entities were not detailed in the notices provided for this report.
The actions underline the regulator’s enforcement role in addressing hygiene failures, licensing violations and compliance concerns in the food sector. The notices require corrective action or impose licensing consequences, depending on the findings recorded in each case. [KNT]
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