HYDERABAD: Five sweet shops, including G Pulla Reddy Sweets at Sanathnagar and Minerva Sweets at Kattedan, had their food safety licences suspended on Wednesday after inspections by the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG-SAFE). Hameedi Confectionaries at MJ Market was ordered to close, while Karachi Bakery at Timmapur was issued a show-cause notice.
The licences of Agra Mithai Ghar Restaurant at Charkaman in Charminar, Sweetone Ruchulu India at Vanasthalipuram and Balaji Sri Kishan Mithai Bhandar at Falaknuma were also suspended.
Officials found several violations at G Pulla Reddy Sweets, including an incorrect licence category, rotten vegetables, rat droppings, improper storage, expired and mislabelled food products, unhygienic manufacturing and washing areas and poor personal hygiene among food handlers. They seized 3,133 kg of food items worth Rs 15.03 lakh from the outlet.
At Agra Mithai Ghar Restaurant, inspectors found an incorrect licence category, poor personal hygiene among food handlers, unhygienic manufacturing and washing areas, housefly and rodent infestations, expired and mislabelled food products, unclean utensils and trays, improper storage and failure to maintain required records. The establishment was also found using newspapers to cover sweets.
TG SAFE also ordered five establishments to close: Balaji Sweets at Champapet, Mamatha Sweet House in Secunderabad, SK Foods at Kattedan, Hameedi Confectionaries at MJ Market and Annapurna Caterers at Chudi Bazaar. Show-cause notices were issued to seven establishments, including Bharat Baklava at Sanathnagar, Karachi Bakery at Timmapur.
In all, officials inspected 16 sweet manufacturing and retail units. Thirteen enforcement teams, accompanied by food safety officers and police personnel, conducted the inspections in Sanathnagar, Secunderabad, Charminar, Champapet, Kattedan, Vanasthalipuram and Timmapur.
Officials detected several violations, including the absence of valid FSSAI licences or licences under incorrect categories. They also found unhygienic kitchens, clogged drains, dirty utensils, housefly and cockroach infestations, rat droppings and poor storage practices. Some employees were working without hairnets and gloves, while several shops had failed to maintain pest control records, employee health records and water analysis reports.
Officials seized a total of 3,546.5 kg of food items and collected 22 samples on suspicion of adulteration. An improvement notice will be issued to Sri Shagun Mithai Vatika in Himayathnagar, and officials will revisit establishments to check whether they have rectified the violations.
Cheeram Kanishka Yadav