India Food Regulator Cites Luxury Hotels for Safety Violations

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued notices to the Andaz Delhi and JW Marriott New Delhi hotels after inspections revealed extensive hygiene and safety violations. The regulator ordered both establishments to take immediate corrective action and submit compliance reports before India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13.

Inspections at the Andaz Delhi, operated by Juniper Hotels Pvt Ltd, uncovered 87 kg of expired sweets that were destroyed on-site, along with expired cake bases and bread with duplicate date-marking. Inspectors reported active cockroaches near freezers, houseflies, mosquitoes, and spider webs. Other failures included poor sanitation, inadequate food handler hygiene, and a lack of segregation between vegetarian and non-vegetarian cutting boards. The FSSAI also noted that chillers were located between bathrooms with exhaust venting directly into the chiller section.

At the JW Marriott, operated by Aria Hotels and Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd, inspectors recorded 59 deficiencies during visits on August 24 and 25. These included pest infestations in the bakery and Indian kitchens, as well as employees cooking without hairnets or with open wounds. The regulator also found mislabeled food containers, where prawns were labeled as juice and vice versa. The FSSAI has collected samples of cow ghee and tomato sauce for laboratory analysis.