Hyderabad: A major food safety crackdown in Hyderabad has led to the suspension of 11 FSSAI licences and directions to stop operations, after officials found multiple hygiene and food-safety violations at restaurants across Madhapur, Hitec City and Gachibowli.
The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) deployed 10 enforcement teams with food safety officers and police on September 26.
Officials inspected 20 restaurants and collected 21 food samples over suspected adulteration.
The establishments included Monastery, Shivani-The Restaurant and Bar, Al Saba, Lucky Multicuisine, Sai Ram Mess, Udupi’s Upahar, Coal Spark, Kanchi Cafe, Antera Kitchen and Bar, Am Aha Telugu Kitchen and Bar, and Fusion 9/Amnesia Sky Bar.
Officials reported cockroach and rodent infestations, rat droppings, expired and spoiled food, fungal contamination, poor refrigeration, improper labelling, unhygienic kitchens and drainage issues.
At the monastery, spoiled eggs and expired, unlabelled and stale food were found. Al Saba had prepared food and raw meat stored together in unhygienic refrigerators.
At Coal Spark, 22 kg of peanuts, 25 kg of pepper and 8.9 kg of cashews were discarded after visible fungal contamination.
Rameshwaram Cafe, Ishtaa, Hotel Shadab and Shah Ghouse received or were recommended for improvement notices, while 63 Degrees Modern Regional Buffet, Minerva Grand and Hotel Avasa faced show-cause notices.
Overall, the drive resulted in 11 licence suspensions, six improvement notices, three show-cause notices and 21 samples collected. TG SAFE said establishments issued improvement notices will be reinspected.
The wider Hyderabad crackdown this month has so far seen 34 FSSAI licences suspended, 32 establishments ordered to stop operations, 94 establishments inspected and at least 92 samples collected.
