57 bakeries in Hyderabad inspected; hygiene, food safety violations flagged

Hyderabad: As a part of a city-wide initiative aimed at making food safe, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has conducted surprise checks in 57 bakeries in different circle areas. The checks were conducted by food safety officers at the direction of the GHMC Commissioner.

The officers checked at least five bakeries in every circle and collected 32 samples of food from across Hyderabad, which have been dispatched to the State Food Laboratory in Nacharam for detailed examination.

The inspections focused on verifying adherence to hygiene norms in the preparation and retail of food products, as well as the maintenance of kitchen facilities.

The Greater Hyderabad officials informed that the bakeries were directed to indicate proper labelling on food articles in display counters with preparation date and shelf life. They were also asked to keep clean surroundings and adhere to food safety regulations in letter and spirit.

Common infractions noticed during the inspections included:

• Lack of prominently indicating FSSAI licenses
• Lack of “best before” or “use by” dates on foods shown in display counters
• Open dustbins and unhygienic waste disposal
• Housefly infestation on premises
• Littering of food waste on the floor
• Lack of health records of food handlers and lack of water analysis reports
• Food handlers without hairnets.

Notices are being served to the violators under the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006, and corresponding rules and regulations. In instances where serious violations were detected, officials stated that adjudication cases will be initiated before the concerned officers.

The campaign is ongoing, and GHMC has promised that inspections will go on at regular intervals to ensure that public health is not affected.