Food safety scare at BMC HQ as FDA seals canteen over hygiene lapses

A fly in a glass of buttermilk and another complaint involving an onion bhaji prompted a surprise FDA inspection, resulting in the closure of Mumbai's BMC headquarters canteen

PGurus Newsdesk

July 23, 2026

A routine meal turned into a major food safety controversy after contamination complaints triggered regulatory action at Mumbai's civic headquarters

Fly in buttermilk lands BMC HQ canteen in trouble as FDA seals facility

The canteen at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters has been sealed by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after inspectors uncovered serious food safety and hygiene violations following complaints from customers.

The action was triggered after a customer allegedly found a dead fly in a glass of buttermilk served at the canteen. In a separate incident, a fried plastic thread was reportedly discovered in an onion bhaji, raising fresh concerns over the quality and safety of food being served at the civic body’s headquarters.

Following the complaints, FDA officials carried out a nearly five-hour inspection of the premises. The inspection reportedly revealed multiple violations of food safety and hygiene norms, prompting authorities to issue a stop-business notice and seal the canteen with immediate effect.

The facility caters to nearly 7,000 to 8,000 BMC employees and visitors every day. The issue had also surfaced during a BMC General Body meeting, where corporators questioned the quality of food and sanitation standards at the canteen.

Apart from the FDA’s action, the BMC’s Health and Labour departments have imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on the catering contractor. The crackdown is part of the Maharashtra FDA’s wider drive against food safety violations across Mumbai and other parts of the state.

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