HYDERABAD: The Telangana food safety department has suspended the FSSAI licences of nine outlets of KFC and Domino’s Pizza in Hyderabad after inspections uncovered multiple violations, including cockroach infestation, rat droppings, expired food products and the unauthorised reuse of cooking oil.The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) conducted a special enforcement drive across the CURE region on November 12, deploying 13 teams comprising food safety officers and police personnel to inspect 26 KFC and Domino’s outlets.The inspections revealed several food safety lapses, including cockroach and housefly infestation, fungal growth on walls, greasy utensils, unclean food preparation equipment, rat droppings and unhygienic storage conditions. Officials also found that some outlets were using magnesium silicate, without authorisation, to filter used cooking oil for reuse.Following the inspections, the department suspended the FSSAI licences of seven KFC outlets and two Domino’s outlets and directed them to shut operations immediately.The suspended outlets include KFC branches at Madinaguda-Miyapur, Sindhi Colony in Secunderabad, Punch Mohalla in Charminar, Moosarambagh, Banjara Hills, Shilpa Kala Vedika in Hitec City and Inorbit Mall in Madhapur. The two Domino’s outlets are located at Sarath City Mall in Kondapur and Inorbit Mall in Madhapur.Officials said details of the nine suspended establishments would also be shared with online food delivery platforms, including Swiggy and Zomato, to have them delisted until their FSSAI licences are restored.Apart from the suspensions, TG SAFE will issue improvement notices to eight outlets, comprising four Domino’s branches at Nizampet, Miyapur, Himayatnagar and Malakpet, and four KFC outlets at Sarath City Mall in Kondapur, Karkhana, Himayatnagar and Shaikpet. These establishments will be reinspected to verify compliance with food safety norms.The department will also issue five show-cause notices to three Domino’s outlets at Karkhana, Gachibowli and Hitec City, and two KFC outlets at Nizampet and Gachibowli over alleged serious violations. Further action, including penalties, will be initiated based on their responses.During the drive, officials collected 20 food samples on suspicion of adulteration and seized approximately 52 kg of synthetic magnesium silicate allegedly used to filter cooking oil.
