Hyderabad food safety authorities have seized 1,950 kg of pheni valued at ₹2.30 lakh and suspended the FSSAI licences of five manufacturing units after inspecting 12 pheni, khara and related food establishments across the Core Urban Region (CURE). The action was taken by the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) following findings that included labelling violations, suspected quality concerns and poor hygiene.
TG SAFE officials also collected 12 food samples from the inspected establishments for laboratory testing for possible adulteration. The authority said its inspections found several units operating with retail-category licences despite carrying out manufacturing activities. Other violations included unhygienic production areas, improper storage, poor personal hygiene among food handlers, housefly infestation and failure to maintain mandatory health and pest-control records.
Some establishments had food articles contaminated with extraneous matter, including gutka and pan masala packets, according to TG SAFE. The affected articles were discarded at the premises. Officials also found food products stored directly on floors without adequate covering, along with gutka or pan masala spitting stains in some facilities.
Anjani Foods and Peni Works at Bharathnagar, Jiyaguda, was ordered to stop operations after officials found that it was functioning without an FSSAI licence and under unhygienic conditions. The authority also suspended the FSSAI licences of five establishments and directed them to stop operations immediately in the interest of public health.
The inspections covered facilities in areas including Attapur, Jiyaguda, Petlaburj, Charminar, Nadergul, Begum Bazaar and Moosarambagh. At Sri Ganesh Khara and Feni in Bharat Nagar Colony, Attapur, officials reported food exposed to dust and flies, poor personal hygiene, a washroom near the manufacturing area, greasy and slippery surfaces, and inadequate storage and documentation.
At JP Foods in Imampura, Jiyaguda, officials reported gutka and pan masala chewing and spitting, housefly infestation, poor hygiene, inadequate documentation and repeated use of oil, dalda and vanaspati for frying. Prem Puri Sweet Phani Shop in Petlaburj was found to have an improper licence category, along with hygiene and documentation violations.
Officials reported further hygiene concerns at Mahaveer Namkeen in Shanthinagar Colony, Nadergul, including dirty and greasy surfaces, accumulated dirt and soot, oil deposits, pests including lizards, poor personal hygiene and inadequate records. At GM Mixture in Attapur, the inspection found extremely unhygienic premises, dirty and greasy walls and ceilings, open drains, inadequate lighting, improper storage and missing mandatory records.
Show-cause notices were to be issued to six establishments: JP Foods at Sri Krishnanagar, Shivrampally, Attapur; Jaipur Jodpur Pheniwala at Madhuban Colony; Ram Niwas Puri Sweet Pheniwala at Mahbubgunj; GM Mixtures at Kolsawadi, Begum Bazaar; Bhagirath Foods at Imampur, Jiyaguda; and Balaji Pheni Udyog at Shalivahananagar, Moosarambagh. The seized pheni remains subject to the action initiated by TG SAFE, while the collected samples are to undergo testing.
