Having breakfast outdoors or drinking a quick cup of strong tea every morning may seem harmless, but it could have a detrimental impact on your digestive system in the long run. During a recent inspection of street food vendors near Lotus Pond in the Jubilee Hills area, Food Safety officials discovered multiple violations of regulations, some of which were life-threatening.
Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi had requested that officials increase the quality checks on street food across the city, resulting in the inspections. The officials were surprised to find that nearly all the vendors on the inspected stretch were using tea powder that had been adulterated.
A food safety officer who conducted the inspections, said, “We tested the tea leaves using filter paper, and found that the powder was mixed with artificial colour. The tea thus made assumes an orangish hue, which, the vendors say, is liked by all customers.”
The vendors were informed of the results and educated about the consequences, and were instructed to use high-quality tea powder. They were also advised not to use newspapers to soak up oil from hot food items, as this could result in poisoning due to the presence of newsprint. Additionally, they were made aware of the importance of personal hygiene and maintaining proper sanitation in their surroundings.
The Food Safety officials conducted the inspections using a mobile food testing laboratory called ‘Food Safety on Wheels,’ which is capable of testing approximately 80 quality parameters. Serious violations will result in the filing of Summary Trial Cases, resulting in minor penalties. The vendors will be given time to comply, after which another round of inspections will be conducted.