Mumbai: The food licences of five of Mumbai’s elite clubs, the Cricket Club of India (CCI), MIG, RK Juhu Gymkhana, Aparna Juhu Gymkhana and Willingdon, were suspended after the FDA said it found severe hygiene and structural issues in their kitchens.Almost all five had issues such as pest infestation, unhygienic storage, structural decay like deteriorated walls and ceilings, and a lack of proper food handler hygiene.At the CCI, the FDA found live cockroaches, use of brooms on kitchen countertops, utensils washed and handled directly on the floor, mouldy vegetables, overripe mushrooms, and expired food items.CCI president Madhumati Lele called the FDA findings minor. “They are taking a photo of a small, individual thing and publishing it everywhere. We do hygiene audits every month. There is no cockroach infestation at all. They saw one cockroach and took a photo saying it can lead to an infestation. We are in the process of submitting a compliance report. Ninety per cent of the issues have been rectified,” Lele said.Similar issues were found at the MIG Cricket Club in Bandra (East). The caterer, Nebula Catering Services, did not even have a valid FSSAI licence.Improper cleaning of raw materials, a lack of records for frying oil, and inadequate personal hygiene, such as the absence of gloves, caps, and aprons, were seen at the RK Juhu Gymkhana. At RK, as well as at Willingdon Sports Club, non-smooth and absorbent doors were a matter of concern as they made pest entry more likely.The other issues at Willingdon included inadequate temperature monitoring systems and outdated food and water testing reports.Willingdon Club committee member Anish Trivedi declined to comment on the FDA findings. “We don’t comment on club matters,” Trivedi said.At Aparna Juhu Gymkhana, cooking equipment was found to be rusty and left unsanitised before and after use, with the presence of pests in the kitchen, particularly flies. The FDA found inadequate personal hygiene facilities and a neglect of food handler hygiene — no gloves, caps, or aprons.Bolstered by an increase in manpower with the addition of over 40 food safety officers earlier this year, as opposed to a handful previously, the FDA has been in action mode against iconic and elite establishments. Just a couple of weeks ago, the licence of Parsi Dairy Farm was suspended over hygiene concerns, and K Rustom & Co met a similar fate.“Earlier we had a bakery drive, and prior to that we were looking at prohibited food items, and some of these were establishments that were neglected,” an FDA food department official said. “There are a lot of inputs coming in from complainants as well, and all of the establishments can make an appeal after rectifying all the issues.”
