TG SAFE orders eight eateries to shut over serious hygiene lapses

TG SAFE suspended the FSSAI licences of eight restaurants and ordered their immediate closure after inspections found serious food safety violations. Officials also closed an unlicensed eatery, lifted 16 samples and issued improvement and show-cause notices to other establishments

Hyderabad: The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) has suspended the FSSAI licences of eight restaurants in the core urban region and ordered them to stop business operations immediately following inspections that revealed serious food safety and hygiene violations.

As part of a special drive, eight enforcement teams comprising food safety officers and police personnel inspected 15 establishments across Hyderabad and its surrounding areas on Thursday. The teams lifted 16 food samples on suspicion of adulteration.

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The establishments facing licence suspension are Aroma Multicuisine Restaurant at Jayabheri Enclave, Gachibowli; Aditya Restaurant and Bar at Safilguda; Vaishnavi Darshini at Begum Bazar; Spicy Hub (Green Treat Restaurant) at Kothapet; Pakwan Grand Restaurant at Raidurg; Godavari Ghumaghumalu at Hafeezpet; Sri Krishna Family Dhaba Pure Veg at Gopanpally; and Sri Sai Mess Branch (a unit of Babai Hotel) at Kondapur.

According to TG SAFE, officials found cockroach and rodent infestations, expired food products, spoiled vegetables, unhygienic kitchens, greasy exhausts, poor storage practices and failure to maintain mandatory pest-control and food-handler health records at the establishments.

At Pakwan Grand Restaurant, officials reported 1,170 kg of expired rice bags and 45 kg of noodles with labelling defects. Spoiled eggs, rodent infestation and unhygienic refrigerators were also found.

At Aroma Multicuisine Restaurant, officials reported food articles infested with cockroaches and bitten by rats, expired food products and the presence of cats. Officials also cited serious hygiene lapses at Aditya Restaurant and Bar, including spoiled vegetables, greasy exhausts and cockroach infestation.

TG SAFE officials ordered the closure of Lucky Restaurant at Pragathi Nagar, Bachupally, for operating without an FSSAI licence. Heavy cockroach infestation and unhygienic conditions were also found at the establishment.

Improvement notices will be issued to five establishments — Girl Friend Mandi at Gachibowli, Eat Club Brands Pvt Ltd (Box 8 and Mojo Pizza) at Yousufguda, Seasons Xpress at Hitech City, Yummy Bee at Sainikpuri and JMJ Boys and Girls Hostel at Gandimaisamma. The establishments will be re-inspected to verify compliance.

A show-cause notice will be issued to Nexar Hoflich Food and Beverages (Asaa Neo Indian Kitchen) at Puppalguda, with further action proposed, including the imposition of penalties, TG SAFE said.