Housefly infestation to expired food: GHMC FSW inspects 44 supermarkets, flags multiple violations
Food Safety Wing (FSW) of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) carried out surprise inspections at 44 supermarkets across the city on September 19, as part of its weekly special drive.
By - Newsmeter Network
Hyderabad: Food Safety Wing (FSW) of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) carried out surprise inspections at 44 supermarkets across the city on September 19, as part of its weekly special drive.
Officials said the inspections were aimed at checking expired stock, hygiene standards, and compliance with food safety regulations.
Expired Products Found
During the raids, several instances of expired products being sold were detected. Among them:
• More Supermarket, Saidabad: Expired Royal Gala apples.
• Reliance, Kacheguda X-Road: Avocados, oranges, and apples beyond their expiry date of September 15.
• Vijetha, Kondapur: Yellow Rings, Palak Rice Papad expired on September 5; Godrej Jersey Tick Shock cans expired on August 3.
• KPN Farm Fresh, Kondapur: Putra Petals, Sugar Shells, Sunnundas, and green apples expired on September 13.
• Ratnadeep, Kondapur: 21 packets of cheese, sweet corn, and capsicum expired on September 18.
Other Violations
The inspection teams also reported multiple lapses, including housefly infestation, dusty racks, absence of pest control records, failure to provide medical fitness certificates for employees, and weak First-In-First-Out (FIFO) stock rotation practices. A total of 58 samples collected from the supermarkets have been sent to the State Food Laboratory for analysis.
Notices Issued
Following the inspections, the GHMC served notices to the supermarkets under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Officials instructed store managements to immediately correct shortcomings related to hygiene, storage, labeling, and employee health checks.
A GHMC Food Safety official said, “Supermarkets have been warned to strictly follow the Food Safety and Standards Act. Repeat offenses will attract more stringent action.”
Previous Raids
The latest round of checks comes weeks after inspections at dark stores and warehouses of retail chains in Hyderabad, where similar food safety lapses were identified. Officials noted that regular inspections will continue as part of efforts to ensure compliance and safeguard public health.
