Hyderabad's attack on food safety: Raids instill fear and demand hygienic standards

 

Hyderabad's restaurants are being closely examined as a result of Telangana's food safety authorities conducting an increase in surprise inspections. The effort to increase hygiene is welcomed by some restaurateurs, but others worry that it is causing unnecessary anxiety. Since March, the city's food business has faced more than 4,300 raids and heavy fines, making compliance difficult.

The middle-aged manager of an Udupi restaurant in Begumpet, Hyderabad, describes the factor causing a significant change in the city's restaurant scene as "fear." "Surprise audits are feared." "100%," he says, referring to the flurry of raids and inspections conducted by Telangana's Food Safety Department in the past six months, which have left restaurants under increased scrutiny.

Restaurant owners and employees, from Udupi outlets to biryani hotspots, are adjusting to more stringent cleanliness regulations while expressing concerns about the difficulties in complying.

The middle-aged manager of an Udupi restaurant in Begumpet, Hyderabad, describes the factor causing a significant change in the city's restaurant scene as "fear." "Surprise audits are feared." "100%," he says, referring to the flurry of raids and inspections conducted by Telangana's Food Safety Department in the past six months, which have left restaurants under increased scrutiny.

A danger to the heritage of cooking?
Hyderabad, a cultural melting pot, is renowned for its variety of cuisines. Mughalai, Persian, and Andhra culinary traditions have affected Hyderabadi cuisine, which includes dishes like haleem, biryani, kebabs, and Qubani ka Meetha. Over time, street food sellers and trucks have emerged as a popular destination for both locals and visitors, even if restaurants that date back to the Nizam era still influence patrons with their traditional fare.

However, the unexpected raids at well-known restaurants have raised concerns about the city's food hygiene regulations and caused a great deal of fear among hotel and restaurant owners.

It is impossible to adhere to the textbook's guidelines. Operational difficulties exist. Nobody wants to offer unsanitary conditions or provide subpar cuisine. We can only do the best we can in the food industry," said a worker at a well-known Banjara Hills biryani restaurant.

The food safety department has gathered 3,300 food samples and carried out 4366 inspections since March of this year. 56 criminal charges have been brought in cases involving serious infractions (such the use of rotting meat and vegetables or toxic food coloring). Based on the department's data up to November, a total of Rs 66 lakh has been collected in penalties. Over the past six months, four licenses have been suspended.

When infractions are found, food safety authorities conduct routine inspections, gather samples, and issue improvement letters. In certain situations, there is a mechanism for adjudication and penalty imposition. The operator of the food business faces prosecution if samples are determined to be unfit for human consumption.

Officials are concerned about some of the serious infractions. For example, it was discovered that several eateries were using artificial food coloring and powders that are dangerous to eat, and that some were keeping raw, partially cooked, and marinated meat in freezers for as long as a month. It was discovered that some reputable businesses were utilizing labels with manufacture details and advance dates, while others were using products that had expired, particularly in the case of fast-moving perishable goods.

Supermarkets, kirana shops, cloud kitchens, and catering companies are now inspected in addition to restaurants. Additionally, the department is addressing manufacturing-level food adulteration. Officials stress that the goal of the exercise is to empower customers to make educated decisions about where to eat, rather than to punish them.

In addition to registering street food vendors, the government has started implementing voluntary hygiene ratings for eateries, which allow a third-party organization to grade a food business operator. There are now over 3500 registered suppliers. We're going to start a special drive soon. It is anticipated that between 20,000 and 30,000 additional suppliers would register. The public will feel more confident about eating on the streets as a result," says Dr. C. Sivaleela, Director of the Telangana Department of Food Safety & chief of the enforcement team for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area.

"We want Hyderabad to emerge as India's culinary hub. The commissioner of food safety, RV Karnan, tells IndianExpress.com, "We want to make sure that the city is a great gastronomic treat for the people."

"We must raise awareness of the dos and don'ts."
Some in the sector say social media is causing excessive concern, while others applaud the inspections.

People who eat out are afraid because of the unfavorable information that social media platforms disseminate. They are forcing travelers to go to other places. "This is having an impact on our tourism and hospitality industry," says MA Majeed, owner of the well-known Pista House restaurant chain.

Without defining the guidelines or providing instruction, Telangana Chefs Association vice-president Amey Marathe compares inspections to taking a test. "One company could choose to be completely compliant if that is their goal. The issue is that many of them are unaware of the areas in which they must comply," he explains.

According to K Balaji Raju, a retired assistant food controller with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, the government should collaborate with business owners and their employees to provide additional training. According to him, the FSSAI regulations include provisions for gradually educating the workers about operations, storage, and procurement. "All establishments need to perform more of this kind of training. The state needs additional personnel and food testing facilities. There is currently just one state lab. In addition to the current five mobile food testing labs, we require additional. The state has roughly 80 food safety officials. Telangana, for example, ought to have roughly 200 FSOs. They must produce a great deal of awareness on dos and don’ts,” he says.

The state government banned mayonnaise made with raw eggs for a year in October. A surge in food poisoning incidents connected to raw egg mayonnaise prompted the ban. "The storage method is most likely the issue, not the egg mayonnaise itself. Will we also outlaw paneer or rotten chicken if they create food poisoning cases tomorrow? For this reason, everyone needs to have access to education and training," Marathe continues.

According to Dr. Sivaleela, the government has already made the decision to open three additional state food laboratories in Mahabubnagar, Nizamabad, and Warangal. The current fleet of five mobile food safety labs will soon be expanded by three more, while the agency has sought for another ten mobile labs. She says the government has also recruited 24 new FSOs, with which each district in the state would have an FSO.

Currently, on a monthly average, the state laboratory in Nacharam analyzes over 600 food samples. "Maintaining the cleanliness of any facility takes time and effort. It's an ongoing process, and we don't want to incite fear, punish offenders, or revoke licenses. There has been a noticeable improvement in sanitation and personal hygiene over the past six months, but more work has to be done, she says.