Ahead of Deepavali, FSSAI licences of three Hyderabad sweet shops suspended, 1,035 kg food products seized

Ahead of Deepavali, the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) has taken action against three Hyderabad sweet shops, seizing 1,035 kg of food products and suspending their FSSAI licences. Inspections of 21 sweet manufacturing and retail units in Hyderabad revealed multiple violations, prompting the enforcement drive.

The seized products, valued at ₹7.76 lakh, included unhygienic premises, pest infestations, expired food items, improper storage practices, and deficiencies in mandatory records. Among the three suspended shops, Vasireddy Swagruha Foods in Prashanth Nagar, Madhur Sweets in Humayun Nagar, and B. Bicha Reddy Sweets in Chandanagar were ordered to cease operations immediately.

Sudershan Reddy Pure Ghee Sweets in Tarnaka was also required to close as it operated without an FSSAI licence. Officials documented numerous issues, such as unclean flooring and equipment, expired food, pest presence, rusty and greasy exhausts, and inadequate records. At Madhur Sweets, they found incorrect licence category, sweets wrapped in curtains and newspapers, cockroaches, and expired packaged foods.

In B. Bicha Reddy Sweets, they discovered algal growth, slippery flooring, rusted equipment, expired food, cobwebs, and rodent droppings. Overall, 21 food samples were collected on suspicion of adulteration, and six establishments will receive improvement notices for non-compliance, to be reinspected to ensure adherence to food safety standards.