During the inspection, several food items, including tomatoes, were found spoiled and rotten. Disturbingly, live cockroaches were also observed in both the cooking area and grinding unit, raising serious concerns about hygiene standards
Published Feb 13, 2025 | 6:26 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 13, 2025 | 6:26 PM
Cockroach infestation, rotten tomatoes found at InstaHot Foods Pvt Ltd – supplier for IndiGo airlines (@cfs_telangana on X)
Synopsis: Telangana’s Commissioner of Food Safety inspected InstaHot Foods Pvt Ltd, a supplier for IndiGo Airlines, on 12 February at its IDA Patancheru facility. The inspection revealed significant food safety violations, including poor hygiene, expired food products, and improper storage. Items like Kasturi Methi, Mustard Seeds, and Rai Mota were discarded, and 1.5 kg of Nutmeg was seized due to missing packaging details.
Telangana’s Commissioner of Food Safety recently conducted a thorough inspection at InstaHot Foods Pvt Ltd, a major supplier for IndiGo Airlines, at its IDA Patancheru facility, located on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
The inspection, carried out on 12 February, revealed alarming violations of food safety standards, sparking serious concerns about hygiene and the quality of food produced at the facility.
The task force discovered multiple hygiene lapses, including food items stored directly on the ground and rusted racks used for storage.
The facility was also found not adhering to the FIFO (First In, First Out) method, leading to expired food products being discovered and discarded.
Among the expired items were Kasturi Methi, Mustard Seeds, and Rai Mota. Furthermore, 1.5 kg of Nutmeg was seized due to missing packaging information, such as MRP, batch number, and date of packaging.
Task force team has conducted inspections in IDA Patancheru on 12.02.2025.
𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝗣𝘃𝘁 𝗟𝘁𝗱 (𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗼 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿),
𝗜𝗗𝗔 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘂* Improper storage measured followed like storing… pic.twitter.com/dw48Pe3BV7
— Commissioner of Food Safety, Telangana (@cfs_telangana) February 13, 2025
In a particularly disturbing finding, several food items, including tomatoes, were found spoiled and rotten. The inspection also revealed the presence of live cockroaches in both the cooking area and the grinding unit.
The kitchen was in poor condition, with patchy flooring, food waste scattered across the area, and clogged drains. Dustbins were not properly maintained, and food waste was found dumped in plastic bags.
Other significant health and safety concerns included water that had been tested at a non-NABL accredited laboratory, which made the water analysis unacceptable.
Additionally, the facility had no recent records for packaging material testing.
The discovery has raised alarm bells regarding the food safety and hygiene standards maintained at InstaHot Foods Pvt Ltd. The company, which supplies food products for IndiGo Airlines and exports goods, faces scrutiny for its practices, and further investigations are likely to follow.
In a series of recent food safety raids across the state, the Telangana Food Safety Department uncovered violations at various big-name warehouses. On 5 June, 2024, a raid was conducted at a Blinkit warehouse in the Medchal Malkajgiri district, which revealed disorganized and unsanitary conditions.
Edible items worth INR 82,000 were seized due to expired licenses and non-compliance with food safety norms. Similarly, products from Kamakshi Foods and Whole Farm Congruence Trade and Services were confiscated for non-compliance with labeling regulations.
In another raid at Zomato’s Hyperpure warehouse in Hyderabad, authorities found 18 kg of button mushrooms with an incorrect future packing date.
The absence of insect-proof screens and improperly dressed food handlers also raised concerns. Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal acknowledged the issue, attributing the labeling error to a manual mistake by the vendor, who has since been removed from the platform.
Goyal assured that Zomato remains committed to upholding high food safety standards and reiterated that the warehouse had received an A+ rating following the inspection.
As food safety violations continue to emerge in the state, the Telangana Food Safety Department is intensifying its efforts to ensure that companies comply with strict hygiene and safety standards to protect public health.
(Edited by Ananya Rao with inputs from Sumit Jha)
