Journalist Alleges Cockroach Found in Pasta Served at Lower Parel Children’s Play Zone; Food Safety Probe Sought
Mumbai, 31st July 2026: A senior television journalist has alleged that a cockroach was found in a serving of pasta at Pokiddo Junior, a children’s play zone in Mumbai’s Lower Parel, after the food had already been consumed by children.
According to Shrimi Choudhary, Bureau Chief at NDTV Profit, the incident occurred during a visit to the play zone with her family. In a post shared on X, she claimed that the seating area also had dead cockroaches and termed the incident a serious food safety and hygiene lapse.
“A cockroach was found in the pasta served to us after our kids had already eaten it. This is completely unacceptable. This is a serious food safety and hygiene lapse,” Choudhary wrote while tagging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, urging them to investigate the matter.
The incident has triggered concern on social media, with several users demanding stricter hygiene standards and regular inspections at eateries and family entertainment centres.
However, the allegations have not been independently verified, and neither the establishment nor the authorities had issued an official statement on the matter at the time of filing this report.
The development comes amid an intensified statewide crackdown by the Maharashtra FDA under Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe against food adulteration and hygiene violations at restaurants, food outlets and manufacturing units.
(This report is based on allegations made by the journalist on social media. The claims remain unverified until confirmed by the concerned authorities.)
