Food Safety Drive in Surat: 17 Restaurants Sealed, 208 Served Notices

Surat: The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) health department on Tuesday carried out a citywide inspection of restaurants and hotels following allegations of food poisoning and the death of a girl in Varachha after she reportedly consumed food from a restaurant.

The inspection covered 330 restaurants and hotels across all nine municipal zones. Seventeen establishments were ordered to be sealed after officials found violations of food safety and hygiene norms.

During the drive, officials seized and destroyed 1,641 kg of substandard and unsafe food items. The civic body also issued notices to 208 restaurants, directing them to rectify violations within the prescribed time.

SMC officials recovered Rs 4.17 lakh in administrative charges from establishments found violating food safety and hygiene requirements.

Restaurants Sealed Across SMC Zones

The SMC sealed 17 restaurants across different municipal zones during the inspection drive. The establishments included Heera Restaurant in the Central Zone; Sheetal Restaurant, The Delhi Restaurant and Chinese, and Krishna Fancy Dosa Chinese in East Zone-A; Bapa Sitaram Kathiyawadi Restaurant and Mayur Bhajiya in East Zone-B; Dosa King in the West Zone; Friends Thick Shake & Fast Food and Ganesh Dosa in the North Zone; Punjabi Dhaba and Tulsi Restaurant in South Zone-A; Rajput Family Restaurant in South Zone-B; Nepali Chinese Centre, Iqbal Chicken and Robert Restaurant in the South West Zone; and Cross Road Restaurant and Malhar Dosa in the South East Zone.

The inspections covered kitchen hygiene, food quality, expiry dates of stored products, storage and handling of stale or loose food items, medical fitness certificates for food handlers and cooks, pest control certificates, the quality and safety of water used for cooking, and waste disposal arrangements.

Officials also conducted detailed checks of dairy products and related items, including paneer, cheese, butter, buttermilk and edible oil. Restaurants were instructed to display information about dairy products on notice boards and menus to ensure greater transparency for consumers.

The civic body said the inspection drive was conducted by food safety and sanitation teams across all zones. Further action will be taken against establishments that fail to comply with food safety and hygiene standards. DeshGujarat