Hyderabad’s Street Food Safety Crisis: Are Officials Sleeping While Public Health Is at Risk?

Hyderabad: Food safety in Hyderabad is emerging as a serious public health concern, with allegations that enforcement by authorities remains weak despite repeated inspections and warnings. While officials from the Food Safety Department occasionally conduct raids on hotels and street food outlets, critics say meaningful action against violators is rarely visible on the ground.

Across the limits of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), thousands of food vendors operate from footpaths, makeshift stalls, and cramped rooms with little regard for hygiene standards. Many vendors allegedly fail to follow basic food safety practices such as washing hands regularly, wearing gloves and head caps, using clean clothing, and keeping food covered to prevent contamination.

Health experts warn that the repeated use of cooking oil is one of the most dangerous practices seen among roadside eateries. Reused oil, especially when heated beyond safe limits, can produce toxic compounds linked to heart disease, liver damage, and even cancer. Under Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms, Total Polar Compounds (TPC) in cooking oil must not exceed 25 percent, and used oil must be disposed of responsibly.

 The law also requires vendors to sell used cooking oil only to aggregators registered under FSSAI’s Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) initiative, which collects waste oil for conversion into biodiesel and other industrial uses. However, many small vendors are either unaware of the scheme or continue to ignore the rules, raising concerns about whether used oil is being recycled back into the food chain.

Consumers are paying the price for this negligence. Regular consumption of unhygienic food can lead to food poisoning, stomach infections, liver problems, and long-term health complications. Residents say authorities must move beyond symbolic inspections and enforce strict penalties, license suspensions, and public disclosure of repeat offenders to ensure that Hyderabad’s food vendors serve safe and hygienic food.