HYDERABAD: The food served at two of Hyderabad’s largest educational institutions may pose a serious health risk to thousands of students. Food safety inspections at Sri Chaitanya and Narayana’s central kitchens in Madhapur uncovered a range of violations, including fly infestations, unhygienic vegetable handling and expired medical fitness certificates of food handlers.
During an inspection at the Sri Vasista Educational Trust’s central kitchen, which supplies food to Sri Chaitanya Group of Colleges, officials found heavy housefly infestation, no fly traps, stray dogs near the kitchen entrance and cat faeces in the store area. They also detected damaged flooring causing water stagnation, open dustbins with food spillage, unhygienic vegetable handling, a poorly maintained potato-peeling machine, and the absence of pest control and water testing records.
At the Narayana Educational Society’s central kitchen, inspectors reported heavy fly infestation, uneven flooring leading to water stagnation, utensils not sanitised with hot water, poor hygiene among staff in the wash area, open garbage bins near the dispatch area, outdated water testing reports, machinery not cleaned with hot water and rust in food transport vehicles.
The Cyberabad Municipal Corporation Food Safety Wing issued improvement notices to both institutions, directing them to rectify the deficiencies immediately.
In a separate inspection, the Food Safety Wing of the Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation fined MasterChef Restaurant at Uppal Cross Roads Rs 25,000 for multiple violations.
Inspectors found flies and cockroaches in the store room and dining area, improper storage of non-vegetarian food without maintaining the prescribed temperature, uncovered food posing a risk of cross-contamination, the absence of refrigerator temperature records, poor personal hygiene among food handlers, uncovered garbage bins, improper storage of food items without pallets, missing pest control records and the absence of mandatory labels on some food products.
Officials said a formal notice would also be issued to the restaurant management, directing it to rectify the deficiencies and comply with food safety regulations.
