Mumbai: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licence of Mumbai’s iconic Parsi Dairy Farm with immediate effect after an inspection revealed multiple food safety and hygiene violations at its Marine Lines facility.
The action was taken following an inspection conducted by Food Safety Officers on July 14, which identified serious lapses that could potentially compromise food safety and consumer health.
According to the FDA, inspectors found fungal growth on the walls of storage and production areas, improper storage of raw materials directly on the floor adjacent to fungus-affected walls, and the absence of a protected raw milk reception dock. Officials also reported a large presence of flies, inadequate pest and rodent control measures, and the lack of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) at the premises.
Additional non-compliances included incomplete medical records of food-handling personnel and the absence of mandatory “Best Before”, “Use By”, or expiry date information on certain food products.
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The FDA stated that these deficiencies could result in microbiological contamination of food products and pose a significant risk to public health. The violations were found to be in contravention of the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.
Based on the inspection findings, the Designated Officer and Assistant Commissioner (Food), Division-I, issued an order suspending the establishment’s licence on July 15. During the suspension period, the company is prohibited from manufacturing, storing, selling, or distributing food products. Any violation of the suspension order may attract legal action.
The FDA has also expanded its investigation to the company’s production facility in Palghar district. During the inspection, officials collected samples of several products, including cooking desi cow butter, malai paneer, colostrum, malai kulfi, sweet mawa, cow ghee, and buffalo ghee for laboratory analysis.
Authorities seized:
- 5,999 kg of Cooking Desi Cow Butter valued at approximately ₹31 lakh,
- 7.5 kg of loose paneer worth ₹5,700, and
- 87 kg of unlabelled colostrum valued at around ₹93,960.
The total value of the seized products is estimated at approximately ₹32 lakh, which have been detained on suspicion of misbranding and substandard quality pending laboratory examination.
Established in 1916, Parsi Dairy Farm is one of Mumbai’s oldest dairy brands and has been operating for over 110 years. The company has expanded its retail presence in recent years through both physical stores and online platforms while continuing to market traditional dairy products and sweets.
The enforcement action forms part of Maharashtra FDA’s ongoing statewide food safety drive targeting milk and milk products. During the recent inspection campaign, the department seized 2,317 litres of milk, 30 litres of refined edible oil allegedly used for adulteration, and 6,849.25 kg of milk products, with the total value of seized products estimated at ₹45.78 lakh.
Industry Perspective
The case highlights the increasing focus of food safety regulators on compliance within the dairy sector, irrespective of a brand’s legacy or market reputation. Industry experts note that adherence to hygiene protocols, traceability requirements, proper labelling practices, and infrastructure standards remains critical for maintaining consumer trust and ensuring food safety across dairy processing operations.
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