A statewide food safety crackdown in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday led to the closure of 25 eateries after inspectors uncovered a range of violations that officials said posed a direct risk to public health. The Food Safety department carried out surprise inspections across hotels, restaurants and other food outlets in all 28 districts, finding repeated lapses in hygiene, sanitation and storage practices, according to an official press release.
The simultaneous inspections covered 70 establishments and revealed what officials described as serious and in some cases systemic breaches of food safety norms. Among the most troubling findings were unhygienic kitchens, improper storage of food, prolonged keeping of cooked food in poorly maintained freezers, and the use of unauthorised artificial colours and flavour enhancers. Inspectors also found some establishments using paneer made with vegetable oils instead of pure milk, a practice that raises both quality and consumer deception concerns.
More than 100 kg of cooked food that had been stored in freezers for extended periods and was deemed unfit for consumption was seized and destroyed during the operation. Officials said the action was necessary to prevent unsafe food from reaching customers and to reinforce compliance with basic food handling standards.
The department filed 30 legal cases in connection with the inspections. Of these, 10 were against establishments operating without valid food safety licences, while the remaining 20 were linked to serious hygiene violations. In addition, notices were served on 15 establishments, instructing them to rectify deficiencies and comply with food safety regulations before resuming normal operations.
The eateries shut down included Casserole Restaurant in Bhavanipuram, Vijayawada; Apna Punjabi Dhaba in Anakapalli; Palagan Dhaba and Pavani Residency Hotel in Nellore; Vayupathra Tiffins and Meals Restaurant in Visakhapatnam; and Hotel Manjunatha Bhavan in Tirupati. The closures spanned multiple districts, underscoring the breadth of the enforcement exercise and the department's effort to send a message that violations would not be treated lightly.
The inspections were supervised by Health Principal Secretary G. Veerapandian and Drug Control Administration Director General C. Arun Babu, indicating that the operation was being monitored at a senior administrative level. Their oversight suggests the crackdown is part of a broader push by the state to tighten compliance in the food service sector, particularly at a time when consumers are increasingly dependent on restaurants, dhabas and tiffin centres for daily meals.
While the department's release did not specify whether the closures were temporary or whether the establishments could reopen after corrective action, the notices served on 15 outlets indicate that compliance-based remediation remains an option for some operators. The legal cases, however, point to a more serious enforcement response for establishments found to be operating without licences or maintaining conditions considered unsafe for public consumption.
The inspection drive also highlights a persistent challenge for regulators: ensuring that food businesses, especially smaller and mid-sized outlets, adhere to licensing, storage and sanitation requirements. In many cases, violations such as poor refrigeration, unsafe reuse of cooked food and the use of unauthorised additives can go unnoticed until surprise inspections expose them. Saturday's operation suggests the department is prepared to use both administrative and legal tools to compel compliance.
For consumers, the findings are a reminder of how quickly food safety failures can translate into health risks, particularly when cooked food is stored for long periods or when ingredients are substituted in ways that are not disclosed. For the businesses involved, the shutdowns and cases mark a significant reputational and operational setback, with the possibility of further action if deficiencies are not corrected.
The department has not yet said whether more such inspections are planned, but the scale of Saturday's exercise indicates that enforcement is likely to continue. With 25 establishments shut, 30 cases filed and more than 100 kg of unsafe food destroyed, the crackdown stands as one of the sharper recent interventions by the state's food safety machinery.