Cockroaches, rotten tomatoes, expired sweets: What FSSAI found at two Delhi 5-star hotels

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to JW Marriott and Andaz Delhi, two five-star hotels in the capital's Aerocity, over several food safety and hygiene violations found during inspections.

JW Marriott found violating licensing, labelling norms

FSSAI said on Wednesday that an inspection at JW Marriott, operated by Aria Hotels and Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd, found that the hotel was carrying out retail and relabeller activities without the requisite endorsement on its FSSAI licence, including retailing food products under the JW Marriott brand.

The inspection also found labelling deficiencies in pre-packaged food products, including misprinted FSSAI licence numbers and incomplete manufacturer addresses.

FSSAI said its licence was not displayed at a prominent place on the premises.

Certain food products, including paneer, khoya, chana masala and chilli, were also found without the requisite licence or appropriate endorsement available for verification.

Pest infestation, spoiled food found at JW Marriott

The food safety regulator found several hygiene and sanitation deficiencies at the hotel, including unclean utensils and food-contact surfaces, visible particulate matter in drinking water, inadequate pest control, cockroaches and fruit flies.

Spoiled and fungus-affected food, improper storage and risks of cross-contamination were also observed.

The regulator said apples showed fungal growth and tomatoes were rotten, while cut vegetables and other food products were improperly stored.

It also found inadequate segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, poor allergen management and non-operational exhaust systems in some kitchens.

FSSAI also highlighted the deficiencies in the Chinese, Indian, Italian and bakery kitchens, including pest infestation, non-operational exhaust systems, poor sanitation, inadequate allergen segregation, defective storage containers and improper identification and storage of food products.

The inspection also found issues in the water bottling area, dry store, coffee shop and vegetable preparation area, including a rusting drinking-water storage tank, deficiencies in imported-food labelling and fruit-fly infestation.

FSSAI said regulatory samples, including honey, dairy whitener, drinking water, red velvet sponge, anguri rasmalai, khoya, paneer and sonth chutney, were collected for analysis.

Responding to the development, JW Marriott said, "We are committed to ensuring the wellbeing of our guests and the hotel maintains rigorous food safety, hygiene, and quality standards. The hotel is extending its full cooperation to local authorities as the matter is reviewed and will take any necessary action based on the findings."

Expired food at Andaz Delhi

At Andaz Delhi, operated by Juniper Hotels Pvt Ltd, officials found several food safety and hygiene deficiencies, including improper segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, pest activity, poor sanitation, inadequate food-handler hygiene and improper food storage.

Around 87 kg of expired sweets, besides an expired cake base and expired bread packets, were found during the inspection.

The expired sweets were discarded on the spot, according to the notice.

Kitchens, storage areas flagged for violations

The FSSAI officials also found vegetarian and non-vegetarian cutting boards immersed together in the same water container in the Anayama Kitchen.

In the Room Dining Kitchen, vegetarian burners were being used to prepare non-vegetarian food.

The inspection found active cockroaches near freezers, houseflies and mosquitoes in the grinding room, spider webs and a gutka packet inside the bottling plant area.

The regulator also observed duplicate date-marking over expired bread packaging and reported severe unpleasant odours.

Chillers were situated directly between two bathrooms, with exhaust vents opening into the chiller section, it said.

The hotel was also found to have deficiencies in supplier verification, including failure to check FSSAI licences of vendors, and lacked a tracking system for incoming raw materials to monitor receiving dates and shelf life.

"At Andaz Delhi Aerocity, the health, safety and hygiene of our guests are, and will always remain, our highest priority. A food safety inspection was carried out at the property by officials of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on 22nd June 2026. We have fully cooperated with the inspection, furnished all information and details sought, and have submitted a detailed action taken report," an Andaz Delhi spokesperson said.

"We take these matters with the utmost seriousness and... remain committed to working closely with the regulatory authorities, and to upholding the trust and confidence our guests place in us," the spokesperson added.

FSSAI directed the two food business operators to take immediate corrective action and submit compliance reports along with supporting evidence.

In the past few months, FSSAI has cracked down against food business operators as well as e-commerce platforms for misleading claims, labelling and advertisements.