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During a recent inspection of a Zomato warehouse in Hyderabad, food safety officials discovered 18 kilograms of button mushrooms labeled with a packing date of October 30, 2024, despite the inspection taking place on October 29, according to an NDTV report.
The incident occurred at Zomato’s Hyperpure warehouse located in Kukatpally, which operates as a Food Business Operator (FBO) licensed by the state. FBOs are responsible for supplying various products, including fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, gourmet foods, packaging materials, and kitchen equipment, to hotels, restaurants, and caterers.
Labeling products with a “future packing date” constitutes a violation of food safety regulations. This discovery coincides with officials uncovering significant food safety issues at sweet shops, a momo outlet, and shawarma units in the area, following health complaints in the lead-up to Diwali.
Inspectors also noted the presence of house flies inside the warehouse and pointed out that it lacked a proper insect-proof screen. Additionally, several food handlers were found not wearing hair caps and aprons, raising further concerns about hygiene.
Despite holding the necessary license, the warehouse had medical fitness certificates for food handlers and pest control records. Zomato has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.
These findings follow a raid by a task force in June at a Blinkit warehouse (owned by Zomato) in Devar Yamjal, located in the Medchal Malkajgiri District near Hyderabad, where officials uncovered unhygienic conditions, expired products, and potentially infested food items, among other issues.
In response to the recent findings, Blinkit stated, “We take safety and hygiene standards very seriously. We are closely working with our warehouse partner and the Food Safety Department to implement corrective actions from the findings.”