Maharashtra FDA Cancels Licences of Bimbo Bristol, Four Other Bakeries Over Violations

Maharashtra FDA cancels licences of five bakeries including Bimbo Bristol Bakery in Mumbai after inspections found cockroach infestation, hygiene violations, improper food handling and licensing issues.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cancelled the licences of five bakeries in Mumbai, including the renowned Bimbo Bristol Bakery, an associate unit of Jimmy Boy, a nearly 100-year-old Parsi restaurant located in Fort, as part of its ongoing statewide crackdown on food safety violations and hygiene lapses at food establishments.

The action followed inspections that revealed serious violations related to hygiene, food handling practices, and regulatory compliance. In a video earlier released by the FDA, cockroaches were seen roaming inside the Bimbo Bristol bakery’s bread-making ovens and freezers. According to the FDA, an active infestation of cockroaches, flies, and other insects was found inside the kitchen during the inspection.

The inspection further revealed that temperature records for food storage and processing equipment at the bakery were not being maintained properly. The FDA also found that food preparation was taking place while civil painting work was underway. Surfaces and equipment that came into contact with food had not been adequately cleaned and sanitised, according to the agency.

The FDA also alleged that the mandatory medical fitness records of food-handling staff were incomplete, which amounted to a violation of food safety regulations.

Apart from Bimbo Bristol Bakery, the licences of four other bakeries have also been suspended. These include Anmol Bakery and Stores (Koldongri, Andheri East), New Maharashtra Bakery and Stores (Vashi Naka, Chembur), Saba Bakery and Stores (Aarey Road, Goregaon), and Unnati Bakery (Laxman Tawde Road, Dahisar).

According to an FDA statement, these establishments were ordered to cease operations immediately after inspections found violations related to hygiene standards, food handling procedures, and licensing regulations.

The FDA has also issued "stop-business" notices to four other bakeries for operating without valid licences. The bakeries are Bengaluru Iyengar Bakery (Kalachowki), Golden Bakery (Chirag Nagar, Ghatkopar), Mirza & Sons Bakery (Vikhroli), and Big Bite Bakery (Kandivali).

The latest action is part of a wider food safety crackdown by the Maharashtra FDA against food establishments across the state. Earlier, the agency had taken similar action against the canteen at Mumbai’s KEM Hospital and several other prominent food outlets over alleged violations of food safety regulations.

In another recent case, the FDA issued a notice to a spice and dry fruits shop owned by the family of Siya Goyal, who is accused in the Ketan Agrawal murder case, in Pune. The notice directed the establishment to immediately stop business over alleged regulatory violations.

The Maharashtra FDA has also seized 1,731 litres of milk and 896 kg of milk products valued at Rs 1.44 lakh during a state-wide special inspection drive. The agency suspended the licences of 16 hotels, restaurants, and other eateries for allegedly violating food safety norms.

According to FDA officials, the department inspected 103 hotels, restaurants, 'dhabas', and similar establishments across the state during the special inspection drive conducted between July 16 and 21. The action highlights the agency’s intensified monitoring of food businesses to ensure compliance with food safety regulations.