Luxury outside, cockroaches, flies inside: FSSAI slaps notices on 2 five-star hotels in Delhi
Food samples collected from both establishments
Active cockroaches near freezers, 87 kg of expired sweets, mouldy fruit and rotten vegetables were among a string of food safety lapses detected during inspections at two five-star hotels in Delhi’s Aerocity, prompting the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to issue notices to JW Marriott and Andaz.
The food regulator said on Wednesday that it had issued a notice to Juniper Hotels Pvt Ltd, which operates Andaz at Aerocity, after inspectors uncovered “serious food safety violations”. A separate notice was issued to JW Marriott, a unit of Aria Hotels and Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd, for “serious food safety violations and non-compliance with FSSAI requirements.”
Food samples have been collected from both establishments and further action will depend on laboratory reports.
At Andaz, the findings went beyond routine lapses in a hotel kitchen. Inspectors found active cockroaches near freezers, houseflies, mosquitoes in the grinding room and spider webs. A gutka packet was found inside the bottling plant area.
Around 87 kg of expired sweets were discovered in the confectionery area and destroyed on the spot. Expired cake bases and bread packets were also found. Inspectors detected duplicate date marking on expired bread packaging and recorded severe unpleasant odours.
“Deficiencies were found in the segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food in the kitchen. Complaints regarding cockroaches, flies and foul smell were recorded,” said sources.
“Some bread packets bearing expired stickers were also found. Around 87 kg of expired sweets were found in the confectionery area and were destroyed on the spot. In the pastry section, expired cake bases, flies and cockroaches were found,” they said.
The inspection also flagged inadequate temperature monitoring, poor food handler hygiene, improper allergen segregation, waste management problems and shortcomings in supplier verification. Chillers were situated directly between two bathrooms, with exhaust venting into the chiller section.
Samples of cow ghee, vegetarian mayonnaise, creamy coconut milk powder, honey twigs, yellow masoor dal, tomato sauce, orange marmalade and coconut cookies were collected for laboratory analysis.
At another Aerocity hotel, an inspection lasting around two days recorded 55 deficiencies. “The inspection continued for around two days, during which 55 deficiencies were recorded,” sources informed The Tribune.
Officials found some food products without the required FSSAI licences or endorsements, along with irregularities in packaged food labelling. Mouldy apples and rotten tomatoes were found, while several food items had been stored in the open. Inspectors also flagged shortcomings in vegetarian and non-vegetarian food storage and found cockroaches and broken containers in the bakery section.
The FSSAI has directed corrective action and sought a compliance report with supporting evidence.
