India food safety raids expose banned colours and lizard contamination

The Hyderabad Food Adulteration and Safety Team (H‑FAST), together with municipal food‑safety officers, inspected three food‑manufacturing units in July. Inspectors found fryums being produced with suspected prohibited synthetic colours, murukulu prepared in oil that had been reused for five days, and a ginger‑garlic paste operation lacking basic hygiene and record‑keeping. Food samples were collected and the cases were referred to Food Safety Officers under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

In Avadi, Chennai, police booked the owner of Hyderabad‑based Saroja Caterers Hospitality Services after a dead lizard was discovered in sambar served to sanitary workers at Paruthipattu Eco Park. Five workers were examined; only one experienced vomiting and no food‑poisoning was confirmed. Samples of the cooked food and ingredients were sent to a laboratory for testing, a show‑cause notice was issued, and training on food‑handling hygiene was scheduled for staff.