Hyderabad food safety scare: Police seize rotten meat, chemical-mixed ginger-garlic paste

According to police sources, the operation exposed a large network involved in supplying adulterated food products to several hotels and catering services. The action was carried out following intelligence inputs about suspicious food processing activities in parts of the city.

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During the raids, authorities discovered that a manufacturing unit in Mallepally was producing ginger-garlic paste under extremely unhygienic conditions. Investigators found that the paste was allegedly being prepared by mixing dangerous chemicals such as acetic acid along with synthetic colours and gum powder to enhance its texture and shelf life.

Police said the paste was being stored in unsanitary surroundings, often exposed to dust and flies, before being packed and supplied to multiple hotels across the city. Officials seized around 1,090 kilograms of the adulterated paste from the facility during the raid.

In another related operation, police confiscated nearly 300 kilograms of stale mutton and goat meat that was deemed unfit for human consumption. Investigators revealed that the accused were reportedly procuring rotten meat from other states at low prices.

To disguise the foul smell and deteriorated quality, the meat was allegedly soaked in water mixed with chemicals before being repackaged and sold as fresh meat to restaurants and food vendors. Authorities said the spoiled meat was later destroyed to prevent it from entering the food supply chain.

The revelations have sparked concern among residents and food safety experts about the growing problem of adulteration in the food industry. With increasing demand for ready-to-eat food and restaurant meals, such illegal practices pose a serious threat to public health.

Police officials warned that consuming food prepared using such contaminated ingredients could lead to severe health issues, including food poisoning and infections. Authorities have urged restaurant owners to source ingredients only from verified suppliers and to maintain strict hygiene standards in their kitchens.

Consumers have also been advised to remain cautious while purchasing food items from markets or eating outside. Officials emphasised the importance of checking the quality and freshness of food products and reporting any suspicious activities related to food adulteration.

Further investigation is underway to identify other individuals involved in the supply chain and to determine how widely the adulterated products had been distributed to hotels and catering establishments in the city.