Enforcement teams of Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) conducted checks on units manufacturing and selling pheni, khara and other festive food products in Hyderabad on Thursday (October 9, 2026)
| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT
Ahead of Dasara and Diwali, the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) launched a special enforcement drive against manufacturers and retailers of pheni, khara and other festive food products in Hyderabad. The teams found several hygiene and licensing violations.
As part of the drive, 12 enforcement teams comprising Food Safety Officers and Police personnel inspected 12 manufacturing and retail establishments across Hyderabad on Thursday (October 8, 2026). The inspections covered units in Attapur, Jiyaguda, Charminar, Begum Bazar, Moosarambagh and Badangpet.
As part of an enforcement drive, 12 teams comprising Food Safety Officers and police personnel inspected 12 manufacturing and retail establishments across Hyderabad on Thursday (October 8, 2026)
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
TG SAFE officials seized 1,950 kg of pheni valued at ₹2.30 lakh over labelling violations and on suspicion of quality issues. Suspecting adulteration, a total of 12 samples were lifted for testing.
The violations
Officials found several violations, including establishments operating with retail-category licences instead of manufacturing licences, unhygienic premises, improper storage of food articles and poor personal hygiene among food handlers. In several units, food handlers were found wearing half-sleeved clothing and not using hairnets. Spitting stains of gutka and pan masala were also found at multiple establishments.
The teams also found food articles stored directly on floors without proper covering, failure to maintain pest-control and health records of food handlers, housefly infestation and other sanitation deficiencies. Food articles contaminated with extraneous matter, including gutka and pan masala packets, were discarded on the spot.
Anjani Foods and Peni Works at Bharath Nagar, Jiyaguda, was ordered to stop business operations after officials found that it was operating without an FSSAI licence and under unhygienic conditions. Show-cause notices are also to be issued to six establishments, with further action proposed for imposing penalties.
TG SAFE has also suspended the FSSAI licences of five establishments and directed them to stop operations immediately in the interest of public health.
Published – October 08, 2026 06:11 pm IST
