Pune: A string of recent food safety violations at popular eateries in the city has turned the spotlight onto lax sanitation practices, even as the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it has actively run awareness and training campaigns for the last four years, covering at least 5,000 establishments, besides campuses and places of worship.This week, two popular restaurants, Goodluck Café on FC Road and Bhiwandi Darbar in Camp, had their licences suspended after customers raised complaints — the former involving a piece of glass found in bun maska, the latter a cockroach in soup. Videos of both incidents circulated widely online, prompting swift FDA inspections and action.Footage also surfaced online of questionable hygiene at other establishments — a cookie kiosk in a Viman Nagar mall where staff were seen placing cookies dropped on the floor back into the display, and a Middle Eastern outlet in Hinjewadi where a feather was found in a biryani order. A customer at a heritage restaurant in Camp also reported finding a hair strand stuck on the lid of his cold drink.“We are taking immediate action whenever we receive complaints. A surprise inspection is conducted, and if violations are found, licences are suspended until food safety norms are complied with,” said Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner of FDA Pune.He added that FDA’s efforts are not limited to policing violators. “We have run several initiatives in the last four years to help eateries maintain safety standards. From April 2024 till July 2025, Maharashtra FDA conducted Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) training at 5,507 establishments, issued smiley-based hygiene ratings for 305 eateries. We have also carried out ‘Eat Right’ workshops on 28 campuses and implemented bhog safety drives at 10 places of worship across Pune region,” he said.And yet, customers are now a wary lot. Priya Deshmukh, a software engineer from Baner who loves to eat out, said, “Finding a feather or a cockroach in food is not just gross, it’s dangerous. These aren’t small mistakes that can be taken lightly. They show there’s no real quality check. If we’re paying for a meal, we deserve basic hygiene.”College student Rohit Kulkarni, a café regular, said, “It’s shocking how many places are cutting corners on food safety and quality. The fact that it took a trending video for action to happen says a lot. There should be regular inspections, not just reactions after something goes wrong.”Saili Jahagirdar, Pune chapter head of the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI), countered, “Nobody wants to serve bad food. The concept of ‘khana khilana’ is an integral part of our Indian culture. But especially during monsoon, pest control becomes even more important to avoid rodent or cockroach infestation on one’s premises.”She noted that rising consumer awareness is prodding the industry to self-correct, and said, “Today’s customers are more vigilant than ever. It’s pushing restaurants to be more accountable and constantly improve.”Ganesh Shetty, president of the Pune Restaurants and Hoteliers Association (PRAHA), said maintaining hygiene is a restaurant’s core responsibility, but also pointed to structural limitations. “Many eateries in Camp and FC Road operate from heritage buildings. Restaurant owners cannot make basic changes like fixing tiles or flooring unless the landlord agrees or there’s a court order. It is a tedious process,” he told TOI, adding that PRAHA will soon circulate a reminder to members about key protocols, including medical certification for staff every six months.
