Five Highway Dhabas, Eateries in Gandhinagar Get Notices for Hygiene Lapses

Gandhinagar: The Food & Drugs Control Administration (FDCA), Gandhinagar, inspected eight hotels and restaurants on the Lawarpur and Chiloda-Himmatnagar highway on August 21 as part of its ongoing food safety inspections. Five establishments were issued improvement notices for deficiencies in sanitation and hygiene, while 23 kg of unhygienic food items worth around Rs 4,300 was destroyed.

The inspections were carried out under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with officials checking food quality and compliance with sanitation and hygiene requirements under Schedule 4.

Improvement notices were issued to Gujarat Dhaba, Lawarpur; Jay Bhavani Kathiyawadi Dhaba, Lawarpur; Hotel Blue Rock, Lawarpur Highway, Mota Chiloda; Swastik Hotel, Shiholi; and Shri Abhinandan Fast Food, Mota Chiloda.

Officials said further legal action would be taken if the establishments fail to address the deficiencies identified during the inspection.

Three other establishments, Purohit Dalbati, Infinity Food Court and Zebrata Food Corner, were also inspected. Food samples, including dal and sev-tomato vegetable from Purohit Dalbati and brinjal bhadthu and pulao from Gujarat Dhaba, were collected for analysis. Further action will be taken based on the analysis reports.

During the inspections, officials destroyed around 10 kg of unhygienic food items at Gujarat Dhaba, 5 kg of chutney and bhaji at Jay Bhavani Kathiyawadi Dhaba, and 8 kg of seasoning masala, peri-peri powder and black pepper powder at Swastik Hotel. The total quantity of destroyed food items was around 23 kg, valued at approximately Rs 4,300.

The FDCA also directed the inspected establishments to ensure that clean, safe and quality food is served to customers. The administration has also issued instructions to hotels, restaurants and food vendors across Gandhinagar district to ensure that food handlers wear caps, aprons and gloves while preparing and serving food. The establishments have also been directed not to use artificial colours in ready-to-eat food items or newspapers for handling or serving food, and to maintain hygienic conditions during food preparation and service. DeshGujarat