Maharashtra FDA Suspends 105 Food Licences, Including Blinkit And Zepto, In Diwali Crackdown

Representative photo: A food delivery rider on duty. (Photo: Pexels)

Diwali shopping in Maharashtra has come with a sharp warning this year. The state's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of 105 food businesses, including quick-commerce platforms Blinkit and Zepto, after a two-day inspection drive found serious food safety violations across the state.

The action was announced on Friday, November 6, following inspections carried out on November 4 and 5, just days before Diwali, when demand for sweets, snacks and ready-to-eat food peaks across Maharashtra.

A Statewide Drive Before The Festival

The FDA's special drive covered food manufacturers, sweet shops, hotels, restaurants, caterers and quick-commerce platforms. Of the 105 licences suspended, Nashik division recorded the highest number at 39, followed by Mumbai with 28, Pune with 20, Amravati with 15, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar with two and Thane with one.

Seven establishments were also ordered to stop operations completely — three in Pune, two in Amravati, and one each in Mumbai and the Konkan region. The regulator said businesses whose licences have been suspended cannot carry out any food-related operations during the suspension period.

Big Names On The List

In Mumbai, the licences of Blink Commerce Pvt Ltd, which runs Blinkit, and Zepto Ltd were suspended, including Zepto's Worli outlet. Popular food chains and eateries also faced action, including Biryani By Kilo, Tossin Pizza's Worli outlet and Jumbo Burger, along with retail outlets such as D-Mart.

The scale of the drive underlines a simple point: the crackdown was not limited to small shops. Large, well-known brands that millions of customers trust every day were found wanting on basic food safety standards.

What Inspectors Found

According to the FDA, inspectors found unhygienic manufacturing and storage conditions, improper food handling and packaging, a lack of pest control, and no proper temperature-control arrangements. In several cases, mandatory records and certificates were not available at all.

During the two-day drive, officials seized 39,485.42 kg of food articles worth Rs 1.35 crore from more than 70 establishments over suspected safety violations. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe warned that strict action would be taken against any business found putting public health at risk.

Why This Matters For Every Shopper

Diwali is the busiest season of the year for food sellers in India, with families buying sweets, snacks and gifts in large quantities. That rush also creates the perfect conditions for corners to be cut — stale stock, poor storage and unhygienic preparation can all slip through when demand is at its peak.

This crackdown is a reminder that the brand name on the packet or the app on your phone is no guarantee of safety. Checking the manufacturing and expiry dates, buying from trusted sellers, and reporting anything that looks or smells wrong are small steps that protect your family during the festival.

What Happens Next

The suspended businesses will have to fix the violations flagged by inspectors before they can resume food operations. The FDA has signalled that the drive will continue through the festival season, and more inspections are expected in the coming days.

For now, the message from the regulator is clear: food safety is not optional, and no business — big or small — is above the rules.

Will this crackdown change how you shop for food this Diwali? Tell us in the comments.