HYDERABAD: TG SAFE seized 1,950 kg of pheni (a form of vermicelli) worth Rs 2.3 lakh and suspended the FSSAI licences of five food establishments after inspections found multiple food safety and hygiene violations in the city.
The five establishments whose licences were suspended and which were ordered to stop operations were Sri Ganesh Khara and Feni in Attapur, JP Foods in Imam Pura, Jiyaguda, Prem Puri Sweet Phani Shop in Petla Burj, Charminar, Mahaveer Namkeen in Nadergul, Badangpet, and GM Mixture in Attapur. Anjani Foods and Peni Works at Bharathnagar, Jiyaguda, were also ordered to stop operations after finding that it was functioning without an FSSAI licence and under unhygienic conditions.
The action followed inspections of 12 establishments involved in manufacturing and selling pheni, khara and other food products across the Core Urban Region. Twelve teams comprising Food Safety Officers and police personnel conducted the inspections.
Officials found unhygienic premises, housefly infestation, poor personal hygiene among food handlers and failure to maintain mandatory pest-control and health records. Gutka and pan masala packets and other extraneous matter were also found in food products and discarded.
TG SAFE will issue show-cause notices to six other establishments and initiate further action based on the violations found.