No let up in FSSAI raids at city restaurants, eateries

Hyderabad: The Food Task Force team of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) conducted an inspection at Halo Cocktail Bar and Kitchen in Jubilee Hills and found food safety violations.

The team found expired food items, including golden rings, keora water, Malabar parotta half-baked, and spicy black bean sauce, which were discarded on the spot. Food items such as corn flour, American Garden apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and tea powder were seized for not having proper labels.

Moreover, most of the semi-prepared food items stored inside the refrigerator were found to have expired or exceeded their use-by dates and were consequently discarded on the spot. Additionally, vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items were stored together.

Also, medical fitness certificates for food handlers were not available with the Food Business Operator (FBO). However, a true copy of the FSSAI license was displayed at the billing counter.

The Food Task Force team also raided Uppal’s Swiss Castle Bakery. During the raid, the team discovered three kg of expired green moong dal and two kg of expired eating soda, which were promptly identified and discarded. Furthermore, biscuits, jaggery, cashews, and other items totaling Rs 2.7 lakh were seized for not adhering to FSSAI labelling regulations.

The inspection also uncovered 600 bottles of packaged drinking water, which had a low Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) of only 27 ppm upon spot inspection. Consequently, they were seized.

On a positive note, food handlers adhered to hygiene protocols by wearing hair caps, gloves, and aprons. The bakery also presented proper pest control records, indicating fortnightly treatments are conducted. Furthermore, a water analysis report for the RO water used in food preparation was available, demonstrating responsible water quality monitoring.

The FSSAI license was also found to be correctly displayed at the entrance.