44 of 51 restaurants in Visakhapatnam violating food safety norms: Minister

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Civil Supplies, Food and Consumer Affairs, Nadendla Manohar, in a press briefing on 8 August 2025, cautioned that stringent measures will be taken against hotels, food courts, and other food and beverage outlets found violating food quality standards. The minister said that recent inspections in Visakhapatnam revealed food safety violations in 44 out of 51 restaurants checked. Authorities documented multiple deficiencies and gathered substantial evidence to initiate immediate legal proceedings.

The minister expressed concern that some establishments were allegedly mixing harmful substances in food, leading to health problems. He urged the public to be cautious when consuming food outside their homes.

A cabinet subcommittee has reviewed the matter, directing officials to act swiftly against non-compliant businesses flagged during inspections, he said.

Raids expose alarming violations

Food safety officials have intensified checks across visakhapatnam in recent weeks. On 1 August, raids on various restaurants and food outlets in Visakhapatnam led to 17 cases being registered for violations. Several well-known eateries were found using excessive artificial food colouring, storing stale food, and neglecting kitchen hygiene. Inspectors examined cooking areas, storage facilities, and cleanliness levels, issuing notices to multiple establishments for failing to maintain proper hygiene standards.

The following day, 2 August, joint teams from the Food Safety and Legal Metrology Departments conducted simultaneous inspections at 40 popular sweet shops and bakeries in different parts of the city. Officials found expired products in use and numerous items without expiry labels. In total, 39 food samples were collected for lab analysis, 10 shops were served hygiene-related notices, and 16 cases were booked against outlets using expired ingredients, sauces, and unlabeled products.

Read also: Vizag citizens opine on food safety standards at restaurants in the city

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