Gandhinagar’s Food Safety Department put the brakes on operations at a Blinkit store in Raysan after discovering serious hygiene issues during an inspection. The move came following a complaint that prompted a visit from food safety officials.
The inspection, which took place at the Texas 3 building, revealed unsanitary conditions like cobwebs and dirt on walls, improper food storage, and items placed on dirty racks. These findings violated the hygiene standards outlined in the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006.
As a result, officials suspended the store’s food licence and issued an improvement notice. They’ve given the operator two weeks to address these deficiencies before the store can reopen. Failure to comply could result in permanent closure.
This marks a significant moment, as V. D. Rana from the State FSSAI department noted it’s the first time a quick-commerce outlet in Gujarat has faced such severe action over hygiene violations. Previously, there was just an improvement notice issued for another case in Bharuch without any suspension of operations.
In addition to inspecting Blinkit, officials conducted checks at 14 hostel canteens across Gandhinagar, including places like NID and NIFT. They collected 34 food samples for testing while issuing notices to facilities found with poor hygiene practices.
The GMC continues to push for better standards by instructing kitchen staff at various establishments to wear proper attire and avoid unhygienic practices such as serving food on newspapers or using artificial colors in meals.