Hyderabad: Rampant food adulteration rackets continue to trouble Hyderabad, with food safety officials uncovering huge quantities of contaminated products in recent inspections. On July 2, checks carried out under Cyberabad Police Commissionerate limits revealed large stocks of spurious goods.
In LB Nagar, police seized 575 litres of adulterated ghee. In Maheshwaram, officials confiscated 3,946 kilograms of fake ginger paste, while in Malkajgiri, 3,037 kilograms of adulterated ginger-garlic paste were recovered. Bhongir reported 250 kilograms of counterfeit paneer seized by food safety inspectors.
Officials also found evidence of adulteration in milk, turmeric powder, coriander powder, sweets, biscuits, ice creams, mineral water, and bakery items. Police cautioned consumers to always check expiry dates before purchasing any product.
Authorities said ginger-garlic paste was the most commonly adulterated item in the city, followed by cooking spices. Investigations showed the paste was prepared with synthetic food colours, then repackaged in 100-gram to one-kilo packs for local kirana stores. Some retailers were drawn to these products for higher margins, ignoring quality standards.
The crackdown also exposed contaminated drinking water sold under fake brand labels, officials said. Hotel leftovers, stale food, and spoiled masalas were recovered in bulk during raids. Large stocks of tea powder, cooking oil, and dairy products were also found adulterated.
