Food Safety Crackdown: Six Hyderabad Outlets Caught with Expired Goods and Filthy Conditions

On a sweltering Friday afternoon, the Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team – better known as H‑FAST – rolled out a surprise sweep of six food businesses spread across Hyderabad and the neighbouring Ranga Reddy district. The operation, which was teamed up with GHMC food‑safety officers, aimed to sniff out violations that have been lurking behind kitchen doors for far too long.

The list of targets read like a micro‑tour of the city’s snack scene: a repacking unit in Bahadurpura (KOP Apro Tech Ltd.), an ice‑cream maker in Kishan Bagh (Snazzy Ice Cream), two murukulu factories in Mylargadda (Veerabhadra Enterprises and Twin Cities Enterprises), a bakery in Malkajguda (SS Bakery) and a modest retail shop in Begum Bazar (M.M. Kirana & Dry Fruits). Each of them, it turned out, was playing fast and loose with the rules.

Inspectors found a litany of breaches that would make any food‑safety nerd shudder. Food was being prepared and stored in visibly dirty corners, with cockroaches, pigeons and other pests making themselves at home. Cooking oil had clearly been used over and over again, and artificial food colourings were being sprinkled in without any trace of a licence.

Even more worrying was the presence of expired, mis‑branded items on the shelves. Labels were either missing, misleading or simply not displayed at all, and the required FSSAI licence was nowhere to be seen in several places. To top it off, many of the handlers were found working without basic protective gear – no hairnets, no gloves – as if the kitchen were a backyard barbeque.

Police seized batches of the suspect oil, the artificial colourants and other unsafe food articles. Samples were boxed up for lab analysis, and six individuals were taken into custody to face action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Authorities are now urging residents to be more vigilant. Before buying, they should check that the outlet displays a valid FSSAI licence, glance at manufacturing and expiry dates, and read product labels carefully. Any suspicion of adulteration can be reported to H‑FAST on 8712661212.

While the crackdown has sent a clear message to vendors, it also shines a light on the everyday choices consumers make. In a city as vibrant as Hyderabad, the battle for safe food is as much about awareness as it is about enforcement.