The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs has suspended the food licences of nine Domino's and KFC outlets in Hyderabad and ordered them to stop operating immediately. Inspectors reported pest infestations, rat droppings, expired products and other alleged food safety violations. The findings are the basis for the action, and the outlets' full responses are not included in the source material.
What inspectors reported
Officials cited cockroach infestation and rat droppings at several locations, including a Domino's outlet at Sarath City Mall in Kondapur and another at Inorbit Mall in Madhapur. At the Sarath City Mall branch, inspectors also found expired products and no food-grade certificate for packaging material. Other reported problems included foul smells in kitchens and chiller rooms, water leakage and waterlogging, fungal growth on walls, and greasy utensils. At the Inorbit Mall Domino's outlet, food handlers were reportedly working without hairnets and aprons.
The cooking oil issue
Several KFC outlets were found using magnesium silicate to filter used cooking oil for reuse. Inspectors seized about 52 kilograms of the synthetic substance during the drive. The outlets named in the report include Madinaguda in Miyapur, Sindhi Colony, Punch Mohalla near Charminar, Banjara Hills and Shilpa Kala Vedika in Hitec City. Officials also collected 20 food samples on suspicion of adulteration, and the results of those tests are not described in the source.
What happens next
Eight other outlets will receive improvement notices and be reinspected to verify compliance. Five more outlets, three Domino's and two KFC branches, will receive show-cause notices for serious violations, and further action, including penalties, is planned. The inspections were carried out by 13 enforcement teams covering 26 outlets of the two chains in the CURE region. Customers who want to know whether a particular branch has been cleared should check with the regulator, since the outcome of reinspections is not yet known.