Surat: Retail giant D-Mart has once again come under the scanner for severe food safety violations in Gujarat. The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) health department slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 on a D-Mart outlet located near Gada Circle in the Singanpore-Katargam area after inspecting officials found live worms in open flour and seized several expired food items.
The swift action was prompted by a vigilant customer who lodged a formal complaint about the compromised food quality. Acting on the tip-off, an inspection team from the civic body’s health department immediately raided the premises to verify the claims.
During the extensive check, health officials discovered worms actively crawling in the loose flour kept for public sale. In addition to the infested flour, the team also found multiple packaged flour bags lacking mandatory expiry date labels and seized a variety of other expired consumable products. The civic inspection team immediately destroyed the contaminated and expired stock on the spot and issued a formal notice to the store management over the unhygienic premises.
This is not an isolated incident for D-Mart stores in Surat, as the retail chain has faced repeated allegations regarding its food storage and hygiene standards. Recently, a consumer reported finding worms in a packet of almonds purchased from the D-Mart outlet in the Limbayat-Godadara area. Following an inspection, the SMC’s Food Safety and Health Department had issued a notice and penalized that particular store with a Rs 5,000 fine.
Earlier, another branch in the Adajan area was caught selling moldy and expired bread. During a routine inspection on August 22, the health department uncovered multiple irregularities, including poor sanitation protocols and expired goods, leading to a hefty penalty of Rs 75,000.
The recurring incidents have raised serious concerns among consumers regarding the hygiene, storage mechanisms, and overall food safety protocols maintained by the popular supermarket chain. Health department officials have urged residents to carefully check product packaging, manufacturing dates, and the physical condition of groceries before making any purchases to ensure their safety.