Hyderabad food safety officials have suspended the licences of five sweet-manufacturing and retail establishments and issued show-cause notices to seven others, including Karachi Bakery, following inspections that uncovered multiple hygiene and licensing violations.
Officials found several violations, including rotten vegetables, rat droppings, expired and mislabelled food products, improper storage and unhygienic manufacturing and washing areas. Food handlers were also found to be maintaining poor personal hygiene, while the establishment was operating under an incorrect licence category. The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG-SAFE) inspected 16 sweet-manufacturing and retail units across the city on Wednesday. The inspections resulted in the seizure or disposal of 3,546.5 kg of food articles valued at ₹ 16.86 lakh. Officials also collected 22 food samples on suspicion of adulteration. The test results of these 22 samples are awaited. G Pulla Reddy Sweets in Sanathnagar accounted for the bulk of the seized food articles, with 3,133 kg worth ₹ 15.03 lakh confiscated from the establishment. (Also read: Several Hyderabad eateries under fire after food safety officials find expired products ) The other establishments whose licences were suspended are Agra Mithai Ghar Restaurant in Charminar, Sweetone Ruchulu India Pvt Ltd in Vanasthalipuram, Balaji Sri Kishan Mithai Bhandar in Falaknuma and Hirani Foods Pvt Ltd, which operates Minerva Sweets in Kattedan.
