Edible Oil Recycling Mafia Infiltrates Food Chain in Tirumala, Tirupati
This is being supplied to small eateries and roadside vendors at cheaper rates
TIRUPATI: An organised mafia is pushing in plain sight recycled edible oil in the bustling food streets of Tirupati and the cramped kitchens in Tirumala despite the oil being harmful for human health.
Field visits and inputs from official sources indicate that large quantities of used oil generated by hotels and catering units are not reaching the authorised recycling agencies under the RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) system. Instead, middlemen have formed a parallel collection network to purchase the edible oil waste. They add chemicals to remove the dark colour and foul smell, making the oil appear usable. This is being supplied to small eateries and roadside vendors at cheaper rates.
Under food safety norms, cooking oil must not be reused once the level of its Total Polar Compounds (TPC) crosses 25, a threshold that indicates harmful degradation. At that stage, it is to be handed over to authorised biodiesel production units.
While officials maintain that about 1,200 to 1,500 litres of used oil is being collected every month in Tirupati, they concede that a significant volume is escaping the regulated system.
Enforcement remains weak due to staff shortage. The Food Safety department in Tirupati district is functioning with only two officers against the three sanctioned posts. This shortage is limiting the department’s ability to monitor hundreds of food establishments spread across the urban and pilgrim zones. Added to this, the absence of a local food testing laboratory delays regulatory action, as samples must be sent to Hyderabad or Chennai, with reports often taking up to two weeks, by which time the trail goes cold.
In Tirumala, the situation appears more alarming, with little evidence of used oil being handed over for biodiesel production. Most fast-food centres and canteens, both large and small, are reportedly reusing oil repeatedly until it is completely degraded. Despite supervision by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams’ Health department, ground-level enforcement is inconsistent in one of the country’s biggest pilgrim centres.
Licensing violations continue largely unchecked. A majority of food outlets in Tirupati, particularly small vendors, operate without mandatory licences under the Food Safety and Standards Act. They function outside scrutiny. In Tirumala, even licensed restaurants and fast-food centres are falling short of the stipulated safety and hygiene standards, raising questions about monitoring mechanisms.
Areas around the Tirupati railway station, bus stand, SV University Road, Karakambadi Road, and Tirumala bypass have emerged as key hotspots where low-cost food is prepared using such oil. Vendors, operating on thin profit margins, are drawn to cheaper reused oil, thereby sustaining the illegal supply chain.
Medical experts say the impact on public health is already visible. “Repeatedly heated oil releases toxic substances that can damage the digestive system and liver. We are seeing increasing cases of gastric disorders, skin allergies, and metabolic complications linked to poor-quality food. Long-term exposure can raise the risk of serious diseases,” said Dr. K. Suresh, a gastroenterologist.
- An organised network is collecting used cooking oil from hotels and catering units, recycling it, and selling it at low rates to small eateries and vendors.
- Medical experts warn that consumption of repeatedly heated oil harms digestion, damages the liver, and poses long-term health risks.
