Mumbai's legendary K Rustom & Co ice cream parlour, a beloved Churchgate landmark for over seven decades, has landed in trouble after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended its food licence with immediate effect over serious hygiene violations.
Mumbai's legendary K Rustom & Co ice cream parlour, a beloved Churchgate landmark for over seven decades, has landed in trouble after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended its food licence with immediate effect over serious hygiene violations. The action came during a statewide food safety inspection drive conducted on Tuesday, during which FDA officials allegedly found alarming sanitary lapses at the iconic outlet. Inspectors reported the presence of rats, houseflies, expired food products, disruptions in cold chain operations and the absence of mandatory food safety records.
According to the FDA, the violations amounted to a serious breach of food hygiene standards and posed a significant risk to consumer health, prompting authorities to suspend the establishment's food licence immediately.
Officials said the licence will be reinstated only after all deficiencies are addressed and the outlet fully complies with prescribed food safety regulations.
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Mumbai's oldest and most iconic ice cream parlours
Founded by Khodabaksh Rustom Irani in 1953, K Rustom & Co is among Mumbai's oldest and most iconic ice cream parlours. The Churchgate establishment is renowned for its signature ice cream sandwiches served between crisp wafers and has remained a favourite destination for generations of Mumbaikars and tourists alike.
The inspection was part of a wider statewide enforcement drive in which the FDA inspected 16 hotels, restaurants and eateries. Ten establishments were served improvement notices, while three had their food licences suspended over serious violations.
Apart from K Rustom, authorities suspended the licence of Hotel Patilwada in Dhule for operating without the mandatory food business licence. Shri Hira Sweets Pvt Ltd in Nagpur also faced suspension after inspectors allegedly discovered a dead rat near a food preparation area.
In separate enforcement operations, the FDA seized banned food products, including pan masala and gutka, worth Rs 9.6 lakh. An FIR was registered, resulting in the arrest of one individual.
Officials also confiscated milk, milk products, jaggery and other food items valued at Rs 7.5 lakh from five establishments for alleged violations under food safety laws, underscoring the state's intensified crackdown on food safety and public health standards.
