Three Dairies Lose Licences Over Unhygienic Paneer
The action followed a special drive by 12 enforcement teams comprising Food Safety Officers, police personnel and H-FAST officials.
Hyderabad:Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) has suspended the food safety licences of three dairy units and ordered them to stop operations after inspections found unhygienic conditions and suspected use of unauthorised ingredients in paneer manufacturing.
The action followed a special drive by 12 enforcement teams comprising Food Safety Officers, police personnel and H-FAST officials. The teams inspected 14 dairy manufacturing and retail units in Hyderabad’s Core Urban Region and adjoining districts. Officials found loose palm oil and glycerol monostearate in some units preparing paneer as an analogue product. They also reported pest infestation, poor hygiene and sanitation, and lack of milk procurement records needed to trace the source of milk.
TG SAFE lifted 21 samples on suspicion of adulteration. Food articles worth ₹7.19 lakh were seized, including around one tonne of palm oil, 476 kg of glycerol monostearate, 1,760 packs of cooking cream and 150 kg of skimmed milk powder. The licences of Laxmi Foods at Gaganpahad, Dhana Lakshmi Dairy Products at Mailardevpally and Natraj Milk and Milk Food Products at Alwal were suspended, with instructions to stop business operations immediately in the interest of public health.
TG SAFE said improvement notices would be issued to two units, while show-cause notices would be issued to two others. Further action, including penalties, will follow based on compliance and reinspection.
