Hyderabad: As Diwali approaches, Telangana Food Safety officials have raised concerns for sweet lovers. They recently inspected well-known sweet shops across the State and found several safety violations.
To prevent the sale of adulterated food during the festival, the food safety team conducted raids on shops and outlets selling sweets and other edible items. Some of the popular shops raided included Delhi Mithaiwala, Agra Sweets, Vithuna Foods, and Vasi Reddy Home Foods in Hyderabad. The officials also targeted sweet shops in other districts where similar violations were discovered.
At Delhi Mithaiwala, the inspectors found rat droppings in the storeroom racks. The kitchen had open dustbins, and the doors and windows lacked insect-proof screens. Important documents such as medical fitness certificates, water analysis reports, and records of trained supervisors were missing.
At Agra Sweets, food handlers were not wearing the required protective gear, such as head caps, gloves, and aprons. Expired snacks like chivda and bhel were found and disposed of immediately. Unlabelled, ready-to-eat food items were also discovered. Additionally, the store was operating under a State license that wasn’t valid.
Vithuna Foods and Vasi Reddy Home Foods had no pest control records. Similar to Agra Sweets, the food handlers there were not wearing proper protective clothing. Vasi Reddy Home Foods was found operating with an FSSAI registration instead of the required State license, and the registration copy was not displayed. Unlabelled ready-to-eat snacks and pickles were found in storage, raising further concerns about their safety standards.
Officials have advised consumers to be cautious when buying sweets. They urge people to check the hygiene of the shops and ensure that safety norms are being followed.
In a separate raid, the team inspected Nanking restaurant on Monday. They found the refrigerators in an unhygienic state, with broken doors and lids. Raw and cooked food items were stored together, which is against safety regulations.
Additionally, the restaurant had open dustbins with houseflies everywhere in the kitchen. An open drain was also running through the kitchen, and documents such as medical fitness certificates, water analysis reports, and records of trained supervisors were missing.
Consumers are urged to stay alert and check for cleanliness and safety practices when buying food, especially during the festive season.
