Foodies, especially those in Mumbai, woke up with shocking news on Thursday: The iconic ice cream parlour near Churchgate Railway Station, K Ruston, is shut! The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licence of the legendary ice cream parlour, which was going viral on Instagram for the longest time, for allegedly violating hygiene and food safety norms, including storing expired artificial flavouring agents, officials said.
During a surprise inspection at the popular outlet recently, the FDA reported severe sanitation lapses, including the presence of live rats and flies on the premises, said the regulatory authority in a statement on Wednesday.
"The licence (of Rustom ice cream parlour) has been suspended under the Food Safety and Standards Act after serious hygiene deficiencies and regulatory violations were detected during an inspection. The establishment has also been directed to remain closed until the reports of the food samples are received," according to the FDA statement.
To reopen a shut or suspended food store in Maharashtra, one has to rectify all hygiene violations and formally clear a reinspection. Navigating the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and FSSAI restoration process involves completing specific actionable steps:
Addressing the violations: One has to completely fix the issues cited in the FDA's Improvement Notice or suspension order, by eliminating all signs of rodents, cockroaches, or flies, and there must be a current, commercial pest-control contract and logbook. Additionally, all food handlers must undergo mandatory health check-ups and hold valid medical fitness certificates.
If the store is serving fried food, one must record Total Polar Compounds (TPC) and provide receipts from authorised Re-Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) collection agencies. They will also have to ensure that they are not packing or serving hot food in newspapers or printed paper, which is strictly banned across Maharashtra.
Prepare the Compliance Report: Once the facility is upgraded, the documentation must be compiled as expected by FDA inspectors: Photographic Evidence of the thoroughly cleaned kitchen, upgraded storage, and active pest-control mechanisms; if the license was suspended for food quality, one would likely need the NABL-accredited laboratory test reports verifying the safety of the food samples; and obtain and attach recent, passing potable water test reports.
The facility must also submit and request a reinspection. Only once the officer is satisfied, FDA will revoke the suspension order, legally permitting the store to reopen.
K Rustom & Co., one of Mumbai’s oldest, historically cherished ice cream parlours, located at Churchgate in South Mumbai, near Marine Drive, serving generations of Mumbaikars and tourists.
Started in 1953 by Khodabux Rustom Irani (fondly known as K Rustom), an Iranian immigrant, the shop originally opened as a multi-purpose departmental store that operated as a chemist, a provision store, and a tobacconist. Because of its proximity to the Marine Drive promenade, the family began serving homemade ice cream on glass and porcelain plates to tourists. After repeatedly losing or breaking their crockery, they innovated by sandwiching the ice cream slabs between wafers—giving birth to their iconic format.
Till yesterday, the business that is operated by the descendents of the founder, serves homemade ice cream sandwiches, instead of scoops in a cone or cup. The sandwich is wrapped simply in butter paper and handed directly to the customer.
They offered dozens of flavors ranging from classics like Mango, Walnut Crunch, and Kesar Pista to more eccentric choices like Choco Mint, Ginger Lemon, Rum & Raisin, and Paan. Their global legacy was even recognised by the food guide TasteAtlas, which named K Rustom one of the 100 Most Iconic Ice Creams in the World.
If the brand meets the FDA requirements soon, as mentioned above, follows the corrective measures, and FDA revokes the suspension order after reinspection, the brand can resume its operations soon.
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