YCM Canteen Under FDA Scanner Over Food Safety

• Surprise inspection uncovers hygiene lapses; 14-day notice issued, four food samples sent for testing
  

Pimpri : Acting on complaints regarding the quality of food served at the canteen of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a surprise inspection of the facility.

During the inspection, the FDA team reportedly found unhygienic conditions and violations of food safety regulations. The canteen operator has subsequently been served a 14-day show-cause notice seeking an explanation for the violations.

The inspection was carried out following complaints that patients and their relatives were being served poor-quality food. According to the FDA, the team observed lapses in compliance with food safety norms and also found some suspected food materials at the premises.

The FDA collected four food samples during the inspection and sent them to a laboratory for analysis. Further legal action will be taken based on the laboratory findings, officials said.

Dispute Over Drinking Water Facility

Meanwhile, complaints have also surfaced that the canteen does not provide drinking water to customers at their tables. Relatives of patients alleged that the practice was intended to encourage customers to purchase bottled water.

The canteen operator reportedly claimed that water was not being served at tables because patients could slip and fall if water was spilled. However, citizens questioned the reasoning, asking whether vegetables or other food items would also be prohibited from being served if they were likely to spill.

The latest FDA inspection has brought renewed attention to food hygiene, safety standards and basic facilities at the hospital canteen.