On 16 October 2026, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced one of its biggest enforcement rounds of the year. According to its press note, as reported by The Daily Jagran and the Free Press Journal, the FDA suspended the licences of 25 food establishments and four manufacturing units.
No packaged drinking water (PDW) unit was named. But most of the findings were basic hygiene failures: pests, dirty drains, unclean containers, rusted tools and missing staff medical records. Inspectors look for the same things on a water plant floor.
What the Maharashtra FDA found
The case that drew the most attention was a hospital kitchen. The FDA suspended the licence of Sodexo India Services Pvt Ltd, which runs the patient kitchen at Fortis Hospital in Mulund, Mumbai. Reported findings were cockroaches, food waste in drainage areas, fungus on food transport containers and rusted knives. The hospital said it had directed its service provider to address the observations and was arranging alternative meals where needed.
Other findings from the same round, as reported:
- Suspensions by division: Mumbai 7, Pune 8, Konkan 2 and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar 8.
- A Mumbai bakery scored 28 out of 88 in its inspection.
- An edible oil unit near Lasur Station scored 19 out of 86, with gaps reported in lab testing, technical staff, pest control and food-grade packaging certification.
- A sweets maker in Borivali got a closure notice for manufacturing at an address different from its registration. Flies, unclean utensils and missing worker medical certificates were also reported.
- About 81,330 kg of food worth about Rs 1.73 crore was seized from 37 establishments, and samples were sent for testing.
Whose licence is suspended
In the Fortis case, the licence suspended belonged to the kitchen operator, not the hospital. The FSSAI licence attaches to the food business operator named on it, at the premises and for the activities listed on it.
The same logic applies to water. A brand owner that has its water packed by another plant, and the plant that packs it, each need licences that match what they actually do. If a filling unit fails on hygiene, the action falls on the licence that covers that unit. Our guide on FSSAI licence scope explains this in more detail.
How inspectors score hygiene
The scores reported in Maharashtra come from structured checklists. FSSAI's published audit checklist for general manufacturing has 40 items in five sections: design and facilities, control of operation, maintenance and sanitation, personal hygiene, and training and records. It marks five items as critical:
- potable water meeting IS 10500, tested every six months
- time and temperature control during processing
- a pest control programme run by trained people
- personal cleanliness and behaviour of food handlers
- records kept for one year or the shelf life of the product, whichever is longer
For a water plant this matters more than for most food units. PDW and mineral water are in FSSAI's high-risk food category. That means a pre-licence inspection, an annual risk-based inspection, and an annual third-party audit for central licensees.
Maharashtra findings, translated to a water plant
| Finding reported in Maharashtra | Checklist area | What to check in a PDW plant |
|---|---|---|
| Cockroaches, flies | Pest control programme; no pest activity | Screened filling room, pest control contract and service records |
| Food waste in drainage areas | Drains with traps; regular waste removal | Drains near RO and filling lines, disposal of rejected bottles and caps |
| Fungus on transport containers | Clean transport vehicles; food-grade containers | Washing of returnable 20-litre jars, crates and delivery vehicles |
| Rusted knives | Corrosion-resistant equipment that can be cleaned | Stainless steel tanks, pipelines and filling nozzles; no rusted parts |
| Missing worker medical certificates | Annual medical check-up of food handlers | Fitness certificates for filling and packing staff |
| Gaps in lab testing | Food tested by an internal or accredited lab | Working in-house lab plus testing under the FSSAI Scheme of Testing |
| Manufacturing at another address | Licence displayed; premises as licensed | Licence address and activity match the plant |
What this means for water plant owners
- Run a self-audit now. Use the FSSAI checklist and score your own plant before an inspector does. Fix the critical items first.
- Keep paper evidence. Pest control service reports, cleaning schedules, staff medical certificates, water test reports and calibration records are what inspectors ask to see.
- Look at the returnable jar cycle. Fungus on transport containers was a headline finding in Mumbai. Jar washing, inspection and storage need a written routine and records.
- Check contracts. If another company packs your water, or you pack for others, confirm whose licence covers which activity and who keeps the hygiene records.
- Do not let the lab lapse. In Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, a drive reported on 31 May 2026 found a water plant's quality-testing lab closed. The licence was cancelled and the premises were sealed.
How ClearPath Compliance India can help
We carry out mock FSSAI hygiene audits for packaged drinking water plants using the official checklist, prepare the records inspectors ask for, and check that your licence matches your premises and activities. We also handle the full PDW plant licence set, including FSSAI licence, CGWA NOC and pollution control consent. Call +91 92521 92607 or message us on WhatsApp.
General information only, not legal advice. Enforcement actions and rules are as reported on the dates stated; outcomes of samples and any appeals were not reported at the time of writing. Company and brand names are trademarks of their owners and are used for identification only. This article is not sponsored or endorsed by any business named.
Sources: Food Tech Network, 19 October 2026; Free Press Journal, 16 October 2026; The Daily Jagran, 16 October 2026; FSSAI audit checklist, general manufacturing; Haribhoomi, 31 May 2026.