Rat droppings, flies, roaches: Mundhe's team shuts Mumbai's 122-year-old Kyani cafe

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence of Mumbai's historic Irani cafe and restaurant Kyani & Co. after an inspection by a team led by FDA chief Tukaram Mundhe found rat droppings, live flies and dead cockroaches in its food preparation and storage area. Cats were also found on the premises, while a large amount of blood had collected inside a refrigerator.The inspection was carried out at Kyani & Co., established in 1904 and one of Mumbai's oldest surviving Irani cafes, on September 27 as part of the Maharashtra FDA's statewide festive-season crackdown under its "Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra" policy.The cafe is known for preserving its vintage charm, including its high ceilings, and serving affordable snacks and tea.The inspection also found an open sewage manhole in the processing section. Food was found kept on the floor, while raw dough was covered with printed newspaper. Staff were reportedly not maintaining the required hygiene standards or using personal protective equipment (PPE), and raw and ready-to-eat food was not properly segregated.Citing serious food safety and hygiene deficiencies that posed an immediate risk to consumers' health, the FDA suspended the cafe's license with immediate effect under the proviso to Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The establishment has also been directed to immediately stop the purchase, manufacture, processing, storage, sale and distribution of food products. The establishment is being monitored to ensure compliance with the order.The action against Kyani & Co. was part of a wider statewide crackdown conducted by the Maharashtra FDA from September 23 to 27 during the festive season.During the drive, the FDA seized 50,601.78 kg, or around 50.60 tonnes, of sweets, milk and milk products, edible oil, rice, dry fruits, namkeen, farsan, tea, spices, sauces, noodles, wafers and other food products worth Rs 1.19 crore.The FDA said licences of 30 food establishments across Maharashtra were suspended. These included 13 establishments in Mumbai, six in the Konkan division, eight in the Pune division and three in the Sambhajinagar division.The crackdown also involved inspections of 26 establishments, seizure of banned products worth Rs 30.93 lakh, registration of 22 FIRs, arrest of 30 people, sealing of three establishments and seizure of three vehicles.The FDA also suspended the licences or registration certificates of 13 establishments in Mumbai with immediate effect.- Ends