The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has suspended the food licences of five Domino’s Pizza outlets in Pune and Kolhapur after inspections found live cockroaches, cockroach remains and other serious hygiene deficiencies in kitchens and food-storage areas.
The action covers outlets operated by Jubilant FoodWorks Limited at Warje, Hingne Khurd and Chakan in Pune district, along with outlets at Rajarampuri and Sambhajinagar, A Ward, in Kolhapur. The FDA said the licences of the Warje, Hingne Khurd, Rajarampuri and Sambhajinagar outlets were suspended with immediate effect on October 14. The Chakan outlet faced the same action on October 15.
D. V. Bhogawade, Joint Commissioner (Food), Pune Division, said the department inspected more than 50 Domino’s establishments across the division on October 13 and 14. According to Bhogawade, inspectors found live cockroaches and remains of dead cockroaches in kitchen and food-storage areas.
The inspections also identified inadequate segregation of equipment used for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, incomplete temperature records for incoming food supplies, insufficient cleaning and disinfection, and unhygienic storage conditions. The FDA further reported foul odour from toilets in customer dining areas and said food-delivery employees were not carrying the prescribed identification cards.
The inspections were carried out under the guidance of Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe as part of a wider campaign against unsafe food, adulteration and unhygienic conditions at food businesses. The department said the drive forms part of the administration’s “Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra” initiative.
The action places a large branded food chain under the same compliance scrutiny as other food businesses operating in the region. For customers, the findings concern not only the condition of a particular kitchen but also the systems used to receive, store, prepare and deliver food through outlets serving both walk-in and online customers.
The FDA said its inspection campaign would continue across the Pune division. The department specifically identified hotels, restaurants, prominent food retail chains and establishments involved in online food delivery for further inspections.
Bhogawade said the continued drives were intended to ensure that citizens receive safe, hygienic and quality food. The FDA has not stated in the supplied report when the five outlets may resume operations or what compliance steps will be required before their licences are restored.
