TG SAFE suspends FSSAI licences of 11 eateries after inspections

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 11 restaurants in Madhapur, Hitech City and Gachibowli following inspections carried out as part of a special enforcement drive. TG SAFE conducted inspections at 20 establishments through 10 enforcement teams […] 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 11 restaurants in Madhapur, Hitech City and Gachibowli following inspections carried out as part of a special enforcement drive. TG SAFE conducted inspections at 20 establishments through 10 enforcement teams comprising food safety officers and police personnel, according to a press note issued on September 26. The authority said its teams found violations including cockroach, housefly and rodent infestation, rat faeces, expired food articles, spoiled and contaminated vegetables, improper food storage and poor hygiene. Samples lifted, notices planned against several establishments TG SAFE said it lifted 21 food samples on suspicion of adulteration during the inspections. Improvement notices will be issued to six establishments Rameshwaram Cafe in Madhapur, Viruntha Foods Pvt Ltd (Ishtaa) in Gachibowli, Sahibs Barbeque and Pakka Local in Hitech City, and Hotel Shadab and Shah Ghouse Hotel and Restaurant in Gachibowli. The authority said the six establishments would be inspected again to check compliance with food safety norms. Further action will be taken based on the findings of the reinspection. Show-cause notices will be issued to White Elephant Food Works (63 Degrees Modern Regional Buffet) in Gachibowli, Celest Hospitality Pvt Ltd (Minerva Grand) on Hitech City Road in Kondapur and Hotel Avasa in Hitech City. TG SAFE said further action would be initiated for imposing penalties. 11 eateries ordered to stop operations immediately TG SAFE said the FSSAI licences of 11 establishments were being suspended, with instructions to stop business operations immediately in the interest of public health. The establishments are Monastery in Hitech City; Priyanka Hospitality Services (Shivani The Restaurant and Bar) in Gachibowli; Al Saba Restaurant in Gachibowli; Lucky Multicuisine Restaurant in Madhapur; Sai Ram Mess in Madhapur; Udupi's Upahar, a unit of Vimala World Trading Ltd, in Gachibowli; Coal Spark Multi Cuisine Restaurant in Hitech City; Kkkonka Food and Beverages Pvt Ltd (Kanchi Cafe) in Hitech City; AnTeRa Kitchen and Bar in Gachibowli; Onamau Food and Beverages LLP (Am Aha Telugu Kitchen and Bar) at Inorbit Mall; and Sukdham Hospitality Pvt Ltd (Fusion 9/Amnesia Sky Bar) at Inorbit Mall, Madhapur. TG SAFE cited cockroach and rodent infestation, spoiled and fungal-contaminated vegetables, expired food, improper storage, unhygienic kitchens and refrigerators, clogged or overflowing drains and missing mandatory records among the violations found at the establishments. At Monastery, officials reported cockroach and rodent infestation, fungal contamination of vegetables, spoiled eggs, unlabeled products, expired food and stale food. At Priyanka Hospitality Services, officials reported a dirty kitchen floor, improper food storage, cockroach infestation, worms in food articles, an unhygienic washing area and the absence of pest-control and food-handler health records. At Al Saba Restaurant, officials reported greasy kitchen walls and chimneys, cigarette butts and gutka packets, cockroach infestation, an unhygienic washing area and refrigerators in which prepared food and raw meat were stored together. At Lucky Multicuisine Restaurant, officials reported stale food, improper refrigerator storage, vegetables and non-vegetarian food stored together, uncovered food, cockroaches, houseflies, expired food, damaged flooring with water stagnation and unhygienic kitchen premises. At Sai Ram Mess, officials reported stale food in a refrigerator, pest-infested maida, urad dal and garlic, cockroach and housefly infestation, unclean walls and flooring, and overflowing drains. The affected food articles were discarded, according to TG SAFE. At Udupi's Upahar, officials reported inadequate ventilation and lighting, a damaged kitchen floor with water stagnation, cockroach and rodent infestation, flaky and greasy walls and ceilings, clogged drains, unhygienic refrigerators, absence of water-analysis reports and food-handler health records, and expired food articles. At Coal Spark Multi Cuisine Restaurant, officials reported cockroach infestation and improper storage of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. TG SAFE said raw meat was stored without proper covering and expired food articles were found. It also said 22 kg of peanuts, 25 kg of pepper and 8.9 kg of cashews were discarded after visible fungal contamination was found. At Kanchi Cafe, officials reported unhygienic flooring, cockroach and fly infestation, spoiled raw materials, clogged drains, expired food, improper refrigerator storage, pest infestation of food articles and a patchy ceiling with cobwebs. At AnTeRa Kitchen and Bar, officials reported spoiled and fungal-contaminated vegetables, expired food articles, cockroach infestation, unhygienic kitchen and washing areas, broken tiles, greasy walls and flooring, blocked drains and improper refrigerator storage, including unlabelled food and vegetarian and non-vegetarian articles being stored together. At Am Aha Telugu Kitchen and Bar, officials reported unhygienic flooring, cockroach and rodent infestation and food articles infested with cockroaches. TG SAFE also said packed vegetarian mayonnaise had been damaged by rats and water-analysis reports were unavailable. At Fusion 9/Amnesia Sky Bar, officials reported live cockroach infestation, rat faeces, unlabeled and expired food articles, spoiled and fungal-contaminated vegetables such as carrots, and a lack of Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC)-trained supervisors and water-analysis reports. TG SAFE also listed broader violations found during the drive, including poor hygiene among food handlers, patchy and wet flooring, improper labelling, inadequate drainage maintenance, greasy exhausts and chimneys, flaky walls and ceilings, and improperly cleaned utensils. The Commissioner of TG SAFE issued the press note on September 26 and said photographs and videos of the inspections had been forwarded for necessary action. ]]>