FSSAI Issues Notices to Andaz Delhi, JW Marriott Over Expired Food and Hygiene Violations

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has issued notices to Andaz Delhi and JW Marriott following inspections that reportedly uncovered multiple food safety, hygiene, storage, labelling and licensing violations at the two five-star hotels in Delhi's Aerocity.

Food samples were collected from both establishments for laboratory analysis, while further regulatory action will depend on compliance with the notices and the results of the samples.

At Andaz Delhi, inspectors reportedly found around 87 kg of expired sweets in the confectionery section, which were discarded during the inspection. Expired cake bases and bread packets were also allegedly found, along with concerns regarding date marking on bread packaging.

The inspection further highlighted issues related to the segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food preparation. Separate cutting boards were reportedly found immersed in the same water container, while equipment designated for vegetarian cooking was allegedly being used for non-vegetarian food preparation.

Inspectors also reported hygiene and pest-control concerns, including the presence of cockroaches near freezers, houseflies, mosquitoes and spider webs in different food preparation areas. Other issues reportedly included poor waste management, inadequate temperature monitoring, improper allergen segregation and structural maintenance deficiencies.

Concerns were also raised regarding supplier verification and the tracking of incoming raw materials and their shelf life. Samples of several food products, including ghee, mayonnaise, coconut milk powder, masoor dal, tomato sauce, marmalade and cookies, were collected for analysis.

The inspection at JW Marriott reportedly continued for around two days and identified 59 deficiencies. The issues included alleged licensing and labelling violations, with certain activities reportedly not covered under the hotel's food licence.

Some packaged food products were found with allegedly incorrect licence details or incomplete manufacturer information. Inspectors also reportedly found certain food items for which the required licence or endorsement was not available for verification.

Hygiene concerns at JW Marriott reportedly included unclean utensils and food-contact surfaces, visible particulate matter in drinking water, inadequate pest control and the presence of cockroaches and fruit flies. Mouldy apples, rotten tomatoes, uncovered food, damaged storage containers and improperly stored cut vegetables were also reportedly identified during the inspection.

Deficiencies were also flagged across multiple kitchens and food preparation areas, including concerns related to sanitation, ventilation, allergen segregation and food storage. The inspection also reportedly found issues in the water-bottling and vegetable preparation areas, including a rusting drinking-water storage tank.

Samples of products including honey, milk whitener, drinking water, red velvet sponge, rasmalai, khoya, paneer and chutney were collected for further testing.

The action in Delhi is part of a broader focus on food safety compliance at hotels and food establishments. Similar inspections were carried out earlier in Bengaluru, where multiple hotels were inspected and authorities reported expired food, fungal growth on vegetables, hygiene concerns, improper storage and labelling violations.