Two biryani joints in Puducherry fail to meet food safety standards, refrigerators sealed
PUDUCHERRY: Food safety remains a concern in Puducherry with officials finding that two popular biryani joints and a vegetarian restaurant failed to meet the standards.
The special inspection team found that two non-vegetarian biryani shops on Vallar Salai (45 feet road) failed to keep their kitchens clean and store non-vegetarian food safely in the refrigerators. The food items were found to have decayed and the refrigerators in these two eateries were sealed. The kitchens had cockroaches roaming and the washing process was poor with no hot water provision to clean the utensils.
Food Safety Officer Dhanaraju said the two shops would be allowed to operate normally after cleaning their refrigerators and would be fined in this regard.
The team, which also inspected a vegetarian restaurant in the same area, found defects in the kitchen and warned the owner to fix the issue.
The inspection team also found a defect in the cooling facility during a test at a modern fish market on East Coast Road. A complaint would be lodged with the Fisheries Department which runs the market, as there is a possibility of spoilage of the fish.
Deputy food safety commissioner R Ilanthirayan led the special inspection team along with other officials.
For the past two weeks, the special team has been inspecting restaurants and eateries and taking action. Already, the freezers of a star hotel on Beach Road and a canteen at JIPMER have been sealed by the team.
The CAG report had pointed out several deficiencies in food safety, including facilities for testing. There is just one laboratory, while certain chemicals necessary for checking the quality of the food are not available.
However basic food safety checks by the special team are continuing and more restaurants and eateries would be inspected, said officials.