On February 3, 2025, a food safety task force undertook inspections of restaurants in Hyderabad's Narayanaguda and Lakdikapul areas. At Hotel Ashoka, they found a cockroach infestation in the kitchen. They discovered and discarded expired food, including rosemary (which had expired in September 2023) and kilos of cut chicken (expired in January 2025). They also got rid of rotten brinjal and cauliflower found on the premises. The officials learned that synthetic food colours were being used during food preparation at this establishment. Apart from these issues, they flagged the "untidy" condition of the walls and floor of the kitchen. They made note of a "foul smell" over there. They also found that some vessels kept in the refrigerator and outside it in the kitchen were rusty.
Another major problem was the lack of a FoSTaC (food safety certification) trained supervisor "despite more than 140 people working on the premises," as noted by the task force. The officials also said that the water analysis reports for this food establishment were unavailable.
On the same day, the food safety team visited the Indian Durbar Restaurant in Narayanaguda. Here, too, the officials flagged the use of synthetic food colours. They found expired ingredients including masala powder, cumin powder, different flavoured syrups and chilli flakes. These were promptly discarded. Several hygiene issues were discovered on the premises. The task force said they saw a "severe cockroach infestation" in the kitchen. They found "rotten tomatoes, green chillies and carrots with fungal infestation," and later got rid of these items. They noted that sanitary items were kept alongside food articles in the store room.
Moreover, boiled eggs were found to be stored "near drains without any covering." Some of the food in the refrigerator lacked dates of preparation and use by dates. Those handling the food in the kitchen were not wearing aprons. The officials also stated that the Pest control records and Medical fitness certificates for food handlers were unavailable with the FBO.
Before this, the food safety task force inspected food establishments located in the Jubilee Hills area of Hyderabad. They revealed which violations were discovered at a restaurant and a bar in the neighbourhood. From expired food and infestation to unsafe storage practices and lack of records, there were many causes for concern. Click here to read the full article.
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