Akshata Sharma
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Food safety officials in Hyderabad raided a warehouse belonging to Blinkit, the quick commerce arm of Zomato. The Commissioner of Food Safety, Telangana, shared the same in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
During the raid, officials are said to have found numerous violations. This comes as the quick commerce sector is rapidly growing and changing how people shop for groceries online.
The raid revealed a lack of basic hygiene protocols at Blinkit's facility, according to the food safety department.
Expired food items were also discovered on- site.
Here are the food safety violations reported by the Commissioner of Food Safety, Telangana, in a post on X:
Task force team has conducted inspection in Blinkit Warehouse at Devar yamjal, Medchal Malkajgiri District on 05.06.2024.
* The premises found to be very disorganised, unhygienic and dusty at storage racks.
* There is no Fostac trainee available.
* Food handlers were found without headgears, gloves and aprons.
* Medical fitness certificates of food handlers not available.
* Cosmetic products were stored along with food products.
* The license of Whole Farm Congruence Trade and Services Pvt Ltd was not as per FSS act
regarding address mentioned on the label.
Notice will be sent.
* The products manufactured by Kamakshi Foods license found to be expired, hence the products of VSR i.e Suji, Raw peanut butter, Maida, Poha, Besan and Bajra worth Rs. 30k were seized.
* Suspected infested Whole Farm Ragi flour and Toor dal of worth Rs. 52k was seized and samples sent to lab.
Additionally, Rs 52,000 worth of whole finger millet flour and pigeon peas were suspected of being infested and sent for laboratory testing.
The inspection also identified a disorganized and unsanitary warehouse environment with dusty storage racks.
Swiggy Instamart and Tata Group-owned BBNow's rival -- Blinkit operates in various cities across India, promising deliveries within 10 minutes. These deliveries are fulfilled through dark stores, which are essentially warehouses located in residential areas, typically sized between 2,500 and 3,500 square feet. Orders are processed solely by in-house staff within these closed facilities, not accessible to the public and situated in secluded areas with lower rent costs.
Blinkit has not yet officially responded to the raid.
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