H-FAST flags unhygienic conditions at spice manufacturing units in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) conducted raids at four locations last week in collaboration with food safety officers, flagging unsafe manufacturing and labelling practices.

In the first case, a raid was conducted at an edible oil and spice manufacturing facility in Katedan, named Shalimar’s Company, which uncovered serious unhygienic and unsafe food-manufacturing conditions.

Photos from the facility show a bug infestation in the spices. The unsafe ingredients were later dumped at a dumping ground, and officials were seen pouring chemicals on the sacks.

A raid at Silver Spices, also in Katedan, revealed unhygienic storage conditions. The company had previously been booked by the Mailardevpally Police in April for allegedly manufacturing spices in unsanitary conditions.

According to the first information report (FIR), police observed materials being stored in excessive quantities — in violation of food safety regulations — and being mixed directly on the floor without adherence to any quality control standards.

The facility was also using mouldy materials, not taking pest control measures and not following the “first-in, first-out” inventory system, the FIR stated.

The latest case has been handed over to Food Safety Officer Soumya for further action.

Labelling issues

During a raid at Flyberry Gourmet in Katedhan, officials raised objections to the store labelling products manufactured elsewhere as their own.

Meanwhile, “For Healthy You” in Begum Bazaar was found repacking/manufacturing without a proper Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) license, not including importer and allergen details on dry fruit packages and not maintaining records of pest control and workers’ medical fitness.