A food safety task force conducted inspections in and around Hyderabad on January 3, 2025, uncovering numerous violations at a Monginis Cake Shop outlet in Macha Bollaram, Alwal. The team found rat feces in the storage area and a live cockroach infestation in the manufacturing unit. Additionally, the cake preparation vessels were deemed “very unhygienic,” and many expired items were discovered, some dating back two years. These included 5 liters of kesar syrup, 5 kilos of pineapple flavoring, half a kilo of vanilla flavor, and 8 kilos of desiccated coconut powder, among others.
The storage area was also found to be inadequate, with packing materials and other items stored improperly on the ground and steps. The walls and ceilings were in poor condition, with flaking particles visible, and the AC in the Cold Room was leaking. This posed a risk of contamination, as the leaking AC could affect the food stored in the room. Refrigerators were unhygienic, with food waste scattered inside, and several food products were stored in unsanitary plastic drums. The outlet also failed to display its FSSAI license prominently and lacked employee health records and FoSTaC certificates. Moreover, the necessary licenses for the 7 chiller vehicles used for transporting goods were not obtained.
On the same day, a separate inspection was carried out at VACS Pastries in Secunderabad. The task force discovered that rum was being used in plum cakes without the required excise permission, and the usage was not disclosed on the product labels. Additionally, the FBO (Food Business Operator) had stored cake pulp in bulk without providing preparation or best-before dates. The preparation vessels were also unhygienic, and food and non-food items, including chemicals, were stored together. Items in the fridge were not properly labeled or covered, and the FBO had not maintained the temperature records for the fridge.
The inspection revealed several labeling and display violations across all products, including plum cakes, biscuits, and bread. Key information such as the FSSAI license, FSSAI logo, manufacturing address, and nutritional details were missing. The task force also found that the Water analysis reports and medical records for food handlers were unavailable, and no FoSTaC-trained staff were present during the inspection.
These violations followed a similar inspection of dairy units in Hyderabad last month.
