Oct 09, 2026
Can Restaurants Be Shut Down for Food Safety Violations?
Can Restaurants Be Shut Down for Food Safety Violations?
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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to two luxury hotels in Delhi’s Aerocity after inspections reportedly uncovered multiple food safety, hygiene, storage and licensing violations. The hotels named in the regulatory action are Andaz Delhi by Hyatt and JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity.
The inspections have raised concerns about food storage, pest control, sanitation, segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food and compliance with FSSAI licensing requirements.
One of the most serious findings was reported at Andaz Delhi, where officials found approximately 87 kg of expired sweets, along with an expired cake base and expired bread packets. According to reports, the expired sweets were discarded at the time of inspection.
Officials also reportedly found duplicate date-marking on expired bread packaging. The inspection highlighted gaps in tracking the shelf life of incoming raw materials and supplier verification, including checks of suppliers' FSSAI licences.
The findings are particularly significant for a hotel kitchen because expired ingredients and finished food products can create food safety risks if they enter production or are served to customers.
The inspection at Andaz Delhi also reportedly found several pest-related problems. These included active cockroaches near freezers, houseflies, mosquitoes in the grinding room and spider webs. A gutka packet was also reportedly found in the bottling plant area.
The regulator also pointed to sanitation and storage deficiencies, unpleasant odours and concerns around the positioning of chillers between bathrooms, with exhaust vents opening into the chiller section.
These observations highlight why regular pest-control treatment, kitchen cleaning and proper separation of food preparation and sanitation areas are important in commercial kitchens.
FSSAI officials also reported concerns over the handling and segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food at Andaz Delhi.
According to the inspection findings, vegetarian and non-vegetarian cutting boards were found together in the same water container in one kitchen. Officials also reportedly found vegetarian burners being used for non-vegetarian cooking in the room dining kitchen.
Such practices can create cross-contamination concerns, particularly for customers who follow strict vegetarian diets or have specific food preferences.
The second hotel, JW Marriott, was also served a notice following an inspection that reportedly identified numerous deficiencies.
Officials found cockroaches and fruit flies, unclean utensils and food-contact surfaces, improper food storage and potential cross-contamination risks. Inspectors also reportedly found fungal growth on apples, rotten tomatoes, uncovered food and damaged storage containers.
The inspection also raised concerns about segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, allergen management, pest control and kitchen ventilation.
In addition to hygiene issues, FSSAI flagged licensing and labelling-related concerns. The regulator reportedly found certain retail and relabelling activities that were not covered by the hotel's FSSAI licence, along with deficiencies in packaged-food labelling.
FSSAI officials collected regulatory and surveillance samples from both hotels for laboratory analysis. Reported samples included products such as honey, ghee, dairy products, paneer, milk powder and prepared food items.
The laboratory results and compliance reports will help determine whether further regulatory action is required.
Andaz Delhi said that the health, safety and hygiene of its guests remain its highest priority. The hotel stated that it cooperated with the inspection, provided the information requested by officials and submitted an action-taken report.
JW Marriott also said it was committed to guest wellbeing and maintained food safety and hygiene standards, adding that it was cooperating with authorities as the matter was reviewed.
The incident shows that food safety checks are not limited to small restaurants or street-food businesses. Even premium hotels and large food-service operations can face regulatory scrutiny when inspectors identify possible violations.
For consumers, the episode also underlines the importance of proper food storage, expiry-date checks, pest control, kitchen sanitation and preventing cross-contamination.
FSSAI has directed the concerned food business operators to take corrective measures and submit compliance reports with supporting evidence. Further action is expected to depend partly on the inspection findings, compliance submitted by the hotels, and results of laboratory testing.
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