Hyderabad: Food safety officials carried out inspections at 12 highway dhabas in Telangana along NH-65 (Hyderabad–Vijayawada), NH-163 (Warangal–Hyderabad) and NH-44 (Kurnool–Hyderabad), and found major violations like expired or spoiled food, synthetic colours and overall unhygienic conditions.
According to food safety officials, serious violations were observed at The Palace Hotel in Rudraram, Sangareddy, like an unhygienic kitchen, pest and rodent infestation, uncovered/unlabelled food, clogged drains, improper segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, and suspected synthetic colours.
In response, officials suspended their license under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and discarded 107.5 kg of unsafe food, such as prawns, fish, chicken, paneer, and gobi fry. The outlet shall remain closed until further orders.
Other outlets that were inspected were also found with poor hygiene, had unlabeled food, expired ingredients and were reusing cooking oil. Officials lifted 7 samples and issued 8 notices.
Outlets on National Highway 65
At Athidhi Restaurant located in Koyalagudem village of Choutuppal, officials discarded 8 kg of spoiled chicken and meat, 5 kg expired dry fruits, 10L spoiled sauces, 12 kg other spoiled food, and 1.5 kg synthetic colours.
Similarly, 16 kg of stored meat and seafood, 3 kg of butter, 20 kg red gravy, 10 kg manchurian, 3 kg chicken lollipops and 15 kg coloured food were discarded from Utsav Restaurant, located in Pedda Kaparathi village of Chityala mandal.
Another outlet on NH-65 in Choutuppal’s Koyalagudem village, called Sangam Hotel, was found to have 2 kg of synthetic food colours and 8 kg of cooked food that had been stored for a long time without use-by labels.
Highway dhabas on NH-44
A notice was issued to the Taj Palace restaurant in Gadwal for operating without a valid license, and 8 kg of stale raw chicken and 3 kg of boiled vegetables were discarded at the outlet.
Another restaurant in Gadwal, called Athidhi Restaurant, was found to have stale biryani pieces and cooked chicken in the refrigerator, which was also discarded.
Telangana highway dhabas on NH-163
Twelve litres of expired cool drinks and 2 kg of gravy, which had been stored for a long time, were discarded from Hotel Vivera.
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