HYDERABAD: The Telangana Food Safety Department conducted statewide inspections of pizza outlets, covering the GHMC area and districts. A total of 55 establishments were checked, including 18 Pizza Hut outlets, 16 Domino’s Pizza outlets, and 21 local pizzerias and bakeries.
The inspections revealed serious lapses in hygiene, licensing, and food safety practices. Unsafe food materials were discarded, samples collected, and instructions issued to Food Business Operators (FBOs) to rectify violations.
As per details posted by the Commissioner of Food Safety, eight of the 18 Pizza Hut outlets run by Devyani International and Sapphire Foods India, and 10 of the 16 Domino’s Pizza outlets run by Jubilant FoodWorks, were found violating norms during inspections.
In GHMC limits, officials found a mismatch of license and jurisdiction at Pizza Hut outlets, along with improper storage of vegetarian and non-vegetarian items.
At several Domino’s outlets, licences were not displayed. Among local establishments, Pizza Paradise had no licence on display, lacked medical certificates, used overused oil, kept unlabelled paneer, bread, and chips, had rusty ovens, and maintained an open cooking area without insect-proof mesh. Master V Bakers faced similar violations. At La Pinoz Pizza in Kokapet/Narsingi, prescribed machinery cleaning schedules were not followed.
In other districts, multiple lapses were recorded. In Kazipet, Hanamkonda district, Pizza Hut outlets were found using unclean machinery. In Warangal, medical certificates were issued without proper examination, and at Domino’s, staff worked without gloves or masks. In Nizamabad, Pizza Hut outlets failed to maintain freezer temperatures, display licences, or keep cleaning logs, while Domino’s was found with expired licences and no medical records.
In Nalgonda, sauce bottles without expiry dates, dustbins without lids, and licences not displayed were noted. In Hanamkonda (Subedari), Domino’s outlets lacked records, pest control updates, and machinery cleaning. In Mahabubnagar, Domino’s outlets did not segregate vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, and had no medical records. In Medak, Pizza Korner kept uncovered vegetables, overused oil, and lacked pest control.