HYDERABAD : Barely a month after it was formed, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) task force set up by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has found alarming hygiene issues in restaurants and hotels across the city, so much so that questions about consumer health are being raised.
The task force found widespread food adulteration and substandard conditions in hotels and restaurants during its inspection of 75 to 80 establishments during the course of one month. These establishments include bakeries, supermarkets and restaurants. The task force found that 90% of these were operating under unhygienic conditions.
The inspections found kitchens and storerooms infested with cockroaches and other insects. Many establishments were found selling expired food items. While 24 cases have been filed under various Acts, criminal cases are expected to follow after laboratory reports are received, in about a fortnight.
Brightly coloured foodstuff can be harmful, warns GHMC
Meanwhile, the GHMC has issued a public warning against consuming brightly coloured food items like Chicken-65, tandoori chicken, coloured biryani and gobi, as these often contain dangerous levels of additives. It said that in many cases, the levels of additives were found to be 5-10 times higher than the permissible limit of 100 parts per million (ppm), posing significant health risks.
It may be mentioned here that following numerous complaints from citizens and social media buzz about substandard food quality, the GHMC and the Commissionerate of Food Safety, Telangana, formed the three-member task force, comprising two members from CFS and one from GHMC. The team has been tasked with conducting inspections and collecting food samples to check for adulteration.
Some of the well-known establishments which the task force inspected and issued show cause notices issued are:- Babylon Bar & Kitchen, Jubilee Hills, Hotel Shanbhag Deluxe, Punjagutta, Chutneys Restaurant, Punjagutta, Minerva Hotel, Kompally, Kritunga Restaurant, Kukatpally, Pista House, Uppal, Karachi Bakery, MJ Market, Cream Stone Concepts, Himayatnagar, Kamat Hotel, Secretariat Road, Rayalaseema Ruchulu, Lakdikapool, Shah Ghouse Multicuisine Restaurant, Lakdikapul, Kritunga Restaurant & Franchises Pvt Ltd, Somajiguda and Baskin Robbins, Banjara Hills.
GHMC officials said that the series of inspections have uncovered widespread non-compliance with FSSAI standards, and have instilled a sense of accountability among the restaurateurs.
The inspection drive will continue till all establishments comply with food safety regulations, the officials. They said that minor defects identified during inspections will be served improvement notices, while serious violations will result in cancellation of licences and legal action.
EXPIRED FOODSTUFF FOUND AT RAMESHWARAM CAFE, BAAHUBALI KITCHEN IN MADHAPUR
Task force teams from the Commissioner of Food Safety conducted inspections at The Rameshwaram Cafe and Baahubali Kitchen in Madhapur on Thursday. At Rameshwaram Cafe, the team found 100 kg of expired urad dal, 10 kg Nandini curd and eight litres of milk. These items were discarded on the spot. Improperly labelled raw rice (450 kg), white lobia (20 kg) and 300 kg unlabelled jaggery were seized. Medical fitness certificates for food handlers were not available and dustbins were not covered properly with lids. At Baahubali Kitchen, the team found synthetic food colours, swarms of cockroach crawling all over the kitchen floor and food articles in the storeroom. The kitchen premises was found to be very unhygienic and water stagnation was observed in the cleaning area. Semi-prepared and raw food were improperly stored inside the refrigerator. Medical fitness certificate for food handlers were not found. The hotel did not display a copy of the FSSAI licence on the premises.
ACTION BY OFFICIALS
n Wherever minor defects are found, improvement notices are being issued under the rules to rectify the defects, otherwise action is being initiated against them by suspending the licences
Under Section 51 of the FSS Act, penalties for substandard food can extend up to Rs 5 lakh
Under Section 52, establishments can be fined up to Rs 3 lakh for misbranded food
The adjudicating officer may direct corrective action or order destruction of unsafe food