Rubber Found in Food at Pune University Food Court, Sparks Outrage Among Students

Pune, 16th May 2025: Rubber pieces were found in a meal served at the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) food court on Thursday evening, sparking renewed concerns over food safety on campus when students from the Hindi Department discovered pieces of rubber in their meal served at the Chinese food stall “Route 93.” The students had ordered fried rice and noodles when they noticed rubber fragments while eating, narrowly avoiding a major mishap.

This is not the first complaint against Route 93. A month ago, a student found a large cockroach in her chicken fried rice from the same stall. Previously, a lizard was discovered in one of the students’ food at Adarsh Canteen. In spite of continuous complaints, the university administration and the members of the food committee have not yet taken strict action. This time, students approached representatives from various student organizations, demanding accountability.

Shruti Mishra, a student from Gujarat studying in the English Department, expressed her concern. “I used to like the food at the food court and Route 93. But after the incidents involving a lizard and cockroach, I stopped eating there after earlier incidents, but when things seemed to improve, I gave it another try. This rubber incident, however, has shaken my trust again. How am I supposed to focus on my exams with such threats to my health?”

She also highlighted the poor hygiene at the food court. “Yesterday, I saw a man place his egg plate on the ground, and a dog was eating from it. How can I not worry about my health when such things happen in front of my eyes?”

In response to this incident, students have filed a formal complaint and demanded an inspection of the food stall. The university administration has set up a Food Quality Control Committee to examine the overall hygiene and quality of food being served on campus.

This committee had previously acted on student complaints about maggots and cockroaches found in hostel meals, which led to the closure of a hostel mess. Students have now demanded a centralized kitchen and regular food inspections.

Abhijit Sherekar, a student residing in the boys’ hostel, added, “The food in the mess is not nutritious. These repeated incidents are disheartening. Food investigator should be appointed with the due task of inspecting food every fortnight.”

Shiva Barole, a member of the Canteen Food Quality Control Committee, stated, “Finding rubber in the food at such a reputed institution reflects alarming negligence. Students deserve nutritious meals, and the administration must take prompt action to ensure food safety.”

Students are now demanding stricter hygiene monitoring, immediate inspections of all food stalls, and the appointment of a permanent food safety officer on campus.

The university’s PRO acknowledged the incident and said that “action has been taken.”

However, no specific information was shared regarding what measures were implemented.