Mumbai's beloved K Rustom ice cream parlour, a long-standing institution near Churchgate, has been forced to close its doors after a surprise inspection by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uncovered a shocking array of hygiene and food safety violations.
FDA Inspection Uncovers Gross Violations
During the inspection, FDA officials found live rats and flies within the shop and its storage areas, indicating a severe pest infestation. Furthermore, large quantities of artificial flavoring agents, including pistachio, pineapple, sweet orange, cherry, almond, American ice cream soda, mixed fruit, strawberry, blackcurrant, rum Jamaica, lemon, and plum flavors, were discovered to be expired and allegedly stored for use in ice cream production. These expired agents were immediately destroyed on-site.
The inspection also revealed that the parlour failed to maintain the mandatory cold chain necessary for the safe storage and handling of ice cream, posing additional health risks. Samples of the ice cream collected for laboratory analysis showed a milk fat content of only 7.94 percent, falling below the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's minimum requirement of 10 percent.
License Suspended Amid 'Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra' Campaign
The FDA has suspended K Rustom ice cream parlour's license under the Food Safety and Standards Act due to these serious deficiencies. The establishment has been ordered to remain closed indefinitely until further reports from food sample analyses are received.
This action comes as part of the FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe's 'Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra' campaign, which aims to intensify inspections of food establishments across Mumbai. Food Safety Officers Tejaswini Patil and Akash Chavan conducted the inspection under the supervision of senior FDA officials.
The closure of K Rustom marks a significant event for Mumbai, highlighting the critical importance of food safety standards even for long-established and popular eateries.