The license of Mumbai’s historic Parsi Dairy Farm, operational for over a century, has been suspended by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to severe hygiene and food safety violations. This action is part of a larger statewide enforcement drive initiated by the FDA under its new Commissioner, Tukaram Mundhe.
The suspension follows an inspection conducted on July 14, which uncovered multiple serious lapses at the Parsi Dairy Farm’s Marine Lines facility. According to official reports, inspectors found fungal growth on the walls of storage and production areas, raw materials stored directly on the floor adjacent to fungus-affected walls, and a lack of a protected Raw Milk Reception Dock. Further issues included a significant presence of flies, inadequate pest and rodent control measures, the absence of an effluent treatment plant, incomplete medical records for food-handling staff, and missing expiry date information on several products.
The FDA stated that these violations could lead to microbiological contamination of food products, posing a serious health risk to consumers and contravening the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and associated regulations. The license suspension bars the establishment from manufacturing, storing, selling, or distributing food items until further notice, with any violations potentially leading to legal action.
The crackdown has extended to Parsi Dairy Farm’s Palghar production unit, where eight samples of various dairy products were collected for analysis. Officials seized substantial quantities of butter, paneer, and unlabelled colostrum, valued at approximately ₹32 lakh, due to suspicions of misbranding and substandard quality. These actions are part of a broader campaign targeting milk and milk products across the state.
The Parsi Dairy Farm, established in 1916, is a well-known institution in Mumbai. The recent regulatory actions are in line with a series of high-profile inspections and license suspensions carried out by the FDA since Tukaram Mundhe assumed charge in May. In recent weeks, other popular establishments, including Noor Mohammadi Hotel, Shalimar, Rahmania, and K Rustom & Co Ice Cream Parlour, have also faced similar actions for alleged food safety and hygiene violations.
The statewide enforcement drive, conducted from July 14 to July 16, involved targeted raids across various food businesses. Over the course of this special campaign, FDA officials seized a significant amount of adulterated dairy items, banned products, and unsafe food materials, with a total value close to ₹1.90 crore. The inspection teams focused on dairy establishments, hotels, restaurants, and sweets manufacturers in Mumbai and Palghar, confiscating sub-standard spices, adulterated milk, and banned gutkha or pan masala.
The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has publicly supported the FDA’s enforcement drive, emphasizing the necessity of strict action against establishments that violate food safety norms. However, the NRAI has also urged the state government to ensure that the crackdown is conducted in a fair, transparent manner, with clear communication and reasonable timelines for compliance. The association stressed the importance of building trust and driving long-term compliance through consistent standards, adequate regulatory capacity, industry engagement, and accountable enforcement.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
