Peerzadiguda was the site of the latest round of inspections (Photo: X/ cfs_telangana)
Telangana's Commissioner of Food Safety has been carrying out widespread inspections of restaurants, bakeries, sweet shops, cloud kitchens, tiffin centres and other types of food establishments in Hyderabad. A special task force has visited various areas of Hyderabad in recent weeks and uncovered grave food safety violations. Among the latest are inspections done in the Peerzadiguda area on September 11, 2024. At Park Bakers, the officials found live cockroach infestation, cobwebs on the kitchen walls, food items without proper labels and open doors/windows without requisite insect-proof screens.
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The team got rid of expired items such as fruit mix syrup, dark soya sauce and Irish cream gourmet syrup. Some of the food handlers were not wearing hair caps, they noted. Necessary records such as the medical fitness certificates for food handlers and water analysis reports were unavailable with FBO [Food Business Operator]. The officials reveal that they have collected a sample of cake from the establishment for further analysis. They stated, "Case will be filed based on the observations and further action will be taken accordingly."
On the same day, the task force visited the Amaravati Hotel in Peerzadiguda. There, they discovered and discarded synthetic food colours "suspected of being used in prepared foods like sambar". Inside the refrigerator, they found food items such as aloo masala without labels and lids. The officials observed that the kitchen premises lacked insect-proof screens and that food handlers were not wearing hair caps, aprons and gloves. Additionally, Medical fitness certificates and Pest Control records were not available with the FBO when the inspection happened.
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Before this, on September 3, 2024, the task force conducted inspections in the Habsiguda area of Hyderabad. At the Krithunga Train Restaurant, several food safety violations were discovered. These included unhygienic refrigerators, food stored without labels, dustbins without lids, broken tiles and open doors without insect-proof screens. Veg and non-veg items were found to be stored in the same refrigerator. The team noted that "Rice bags and wheat bags were stored directly on the floor in the store room and the gap between the walls and the bags was not maintained." Furthermore, the officials had to get rid of 10 kilos of ground nuts, as they had been infested with fungus. There was no Food Safety Training & Certification (FoSTaC) trainee at the establishment. The FBO also did not show Medical fitness certificates for food handlers.
The task force also inspected an establishment called Bheemavaram Pulao in Habsiguda on September 3. The officials found that the FBO was "operating the business with registration instead of state license." It had not displayed a true copy of its FSSAI license on the premises. The necessary Pest control records and Medical fitness certificates were not available either. The team discovered cockroach infestation, open dustbins, fungus-infested carrots, synthetic food colours, refrigerated food items without covers/labels and more issues. Veg and non-veg food articles were being stored in the same refrigerator. The doors and windows did not have insect-proof screens. Food handlers were observed without head caps, gloves and aprons.
To find out more about earlier food safety inspections in Habsiguda, click here.
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