Hyderabad: GHMC FSW inspects 73 hospital kitchens; flags multiple hygiene violations

Hyderabad: Food Safety Wing (FSW) of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) conducted surprise inspections across 73 hospital kitchens in the city on Monday, flagging multiple hygiene violations and collecting 14 food samples for laboratory analysis.

The inspections, conducted on the instructions of the GHMC Commissioner, aimed to assess whether hospital kitchens — which serve vulnerable patients — were maintaining the food safety and hygiene standards mandated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Recurring Lapses in Hygiene and Storage

Officials reported a series of common violations, including:

• Absence of dedicated storage rooms for raw materials

• Unclean exhaust and chimney systems

• Patchy and poorly maintained dishwashing areas

• Refrigerators containing uncovered and unlabelled food items

• Food stored directly on the ground

• Open dustbins near food prep areas

• Food and non-food items stored together

• Lack of water quality and pest control documentation

“These issues indicate poor food handling practices and a disregard for kitchen safety protocols, particularly troubling in healthcare environments,” said Dr. Sivaleela, Food Safety Department, Telangana, told NewsMeter.

Samples Sent to State Food Lab

Fourteen food samples were lifted and dispatched to the State Food Laboratory in Nacharam for chemical and microbiological testing. Based on the results, notices will be issued for defect rectification, and in case of serious violations, adjudication proceedings will be initiated against the concerned establishments.

“Repeated or serious violations could lead to penalties or suspension of food business licences,” the statement read.

Expert Voices Raise Concern

Health professionals and food safety experts have expressed concern over the findings.

“Patients recovering from illness are often immunocompromised. Any lapse in food hygiene — even a small one — can lead to complications such as gastrointestinal infections or food poisoning,” said Dr. Shantanu Raghavan, Clinical Nutritionist at a Hyderabad-based private hospital.

“Hospitals must treat their kitchens like operating theatres — sterile, monitored, and compliant with safety protocols,” added Ankita Kumar, a certified food safety auditor. “What we see here are structural issues, not just negligence.”

GHMC Urges Immediate Rectification

GHMC has asked hospital administrations to undertake immediate corrective measures and submit compliance reports. Officers indicated that further inspections will be conducted to verify compliance.

This round of inspections follows recent surprise checks at bakeries and eateries in Hyderabad, as part of a larger food safety enforcement drive being carried out across the city.

Public advisory: Patients and caregivers are encouraged to report unhygienic conditions in hospital kitchens to the GHMC helpline at 040-21111111 or through the MyGHMC app.