By Mewati Sitaram
In a concerning food safety lapse, a resident of the upscale L&T Crescent Bay society in Parel was shocked to discover a half-burnt cigarette embedded inside a packaged Ladi Pav purchased from Rakhangi Store, a well-known grocery outlet in the area.
The product, manufactured by Grandpa’s Oven, carried batch number 174 with a ‘Best Before’ date of June 29, 2025, and was priced at ₹32. The resident, Himanshu Kapadia, found the foreign object while breaking one of the pavs.
“This is not just a quality issue. It’s a serious health hazard. What if a child had consumed this?” said Kapadia, who immediately contacted the store. Rakhangi Store responded by assuring him that all products from Grandpa’s Oven had been removed from their shelves—not only at their Parel outlet but across all branches.
Himanshu Kapadia- Whistle blower
Kapadia also reached out to the manufacturer’s customer care number printed on the packaging. A staffer named Raees reportedly answered the call, stating that he was a worker and the manager was unavailable. He assured Kapadia that the manager would return the call, but no follow-up was received.
Kapadia then tried to escalate the issue by contacting the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). However, he was unable to find any active helpline or contact number on the official website.
This correspondent contacted the local FSSAI office, where officials clarified that matters related to bakery products fall under the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra FDA and assured that the appropriate authority would take cognisance of the issue. However, when an attempt was made to reach the Maharashtra FDA using the landline numbers listed on their official website (2659 2362 / 63 / 65), the numbers were found to be non-functional, raising further concerns about accessibility and responsiveness of regulatory bodies.
Food safety experts have raised alarm over the incident, warning that such contamination violates FSSAI norms and could lead to exposure to toxic substances. If confirmed, it could result in penalties, a batch recall, or even suspension of the manufacturer’s license.
The residents of Crescent Bay have called for immediate regulatory action, including a detailed inspection of Grandpa’s Oven’s facility, a statement from the store, and intervention by BMC and FSSAI officials.
The case raises a pressing concern over the effectiveness of food safety mechanisms and how many such contaminated products may be going unnoticed in homes across the city.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
