FSSAI issues notice to Radisson Blu operator AB Hotels over severe hygiene, safety lapses
New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has served a show-cause notice to AB Hotels Ltd, which runs the Radisson Blu Hotel in New Delhi, after routine checks revealed major failures in food safety and basic kitchen hygiene. The apex food regulator has told the operator to fix the issues right away or risk losing its licence.
In an update shared on social media, the regulator made it clear that the food business operator (FBO) must carry out prompt fixes and hand over a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR). The report must include solid documentary and photographic proof showing that the problems have been resolved, with FSSAI warning that failing to do so could lead to a complete suspension of the hotel’s operational licence.
During the inspection, officials found the property in poor shape. Teams on the ground recorded badly maintained equipment, rusted machinery, leaking freezers, and broken temperature monitoring systems. The inspection also highlighted poor ventilation, damaged flooring, and inadequate lighting throughout the food handling areas.
Pests, stagnant water, and waste management lapses
Sanitation standards inside the facility fell far short of mandatory safety codes. The regulator flagged serious drainage blockages, standing water, and careless food-waste disposal, alongside major gaps in pest management that allowed active cockroach and fly infestations in key zones.
Kitchen protocols were equally compromised, with inspectors spotting clear risks of cross-contamination. Staff failed to separate raw ingredients from cooked meals, stored vegetarian items alongside non-vegetarian food, and mixed allergenic ingredients with regular stock, while even food and non-food supplies sat side by side.
Staff grooming failures and notices to e-commerce firms
Basic personal hygiene among the kitchen crew was largely ignored. Handlers were caught prepping food without essential gloves or hairnets, sporting long nails, and wearing jewellery while on duty, directly violating safety norms laid down for commercial food handlers.
In the same public notice, FSSAI revealed it has also pulled up Hyderabad-based Gemini Edibles & Fats India Ltd, along with major e-commerce platforms BigBasket and Flipkart. The notices were issued over misleading promotional claims made regarding the brand’s Freedom Cooking Rice Bran Oil.