TG SAFE suspends licences of eight Hyderabad eateries over violations

TG SAFE suspended the FSSAI licences of eight Hyderabad cloud kitchens and restaurants after inspections found serious food safety violations. Officials collected 25 samples, discarded 700 kg of contaminated food and issued notices to 15 other establishments

Hyderabad: The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) has suspended the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licences of eight cloud kitchens and restaurants in Hyderabad after inspections revealed serious food safety violations, including cockroach and rodent infestations, expired food, and unhygienic kitchen conditions.

According to the officials, a total of 24 teams comprising food safety officers and Hyderabad city police personnel inspected 23 cloud kitchens and restaurants in the CURE region on Tuesday.

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During the inspections, officials collected 25 food samples on suspicion of adulteration and discarded approximately 700 kg of spoiled and contaminated food articles.

The establishments whose licences were suspended include Biryani By Kilo at Gachibowli, Kulcha Kulture at Madhapur, Lucky Multicuisine Restaurant at Somajiguda, Tum Yum Innovisions at Madhapur, Zora 11/2 at Khairatabad, LO Fresh Foods at Madhapur, ITC Aashirwaad Soul Creations cloud kitchen at Gachibowli and Sodexo India Services at Kondapur.

Officials found spoiled rice, pest-infested flour, cockroaches, rat droppings, expired food items, dirty equipment, and improper storage of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food at several establishments. Other violations included clogged drains, greasy exhaust systems, fungal contamination of vegetables, and food handlers working without protective gear.

Show-cause notices were issued to 10 establishments for serious violations, while improvement notices were served on five others, directing them to rectify the deficiencies. Officials said the establishments would be reinspected to verify compliance, and further action, including penalties, would be initiated wherever necessary.

The suspended establishments have been directed to immediately stop business operations in the interest of public health.