Hyderabad food safety crackdown: labelling lapses and hygiene violations found at popular biryani outlets

Food safety teams from the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) inspected two well-known biryani restaurants in Hyderabad on June 20, 2026, and found violations spanning labelling compliance, basic hygiene, and pest control at both locations. The findings were reported by The Hindu the same day.

The two outlets are Sattibabu Biryani in Kondapur and 7 Sisters in Hitex. Both are in the Cyberabad zone, which covers the western IT corridor of Hyderabad. The inspections appear to be part of a broader CMC surveillance drive, though the corporation has not publicly released a full schedule of outlets covered in this round.

What the inspectors found

At Sattibabu Biryani (Kondapur), the primary violations were:

• Flies near food items because containers were left uncovered during the inspection.
• Ghee procured by the outlet carried no proper labelling.

Under the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, every pre-packaged food sold or used in a food business must display the name of the food, list of ingredients, net quantity, date of manufacture, best-before or use-by date, and the name and address of the manufacturer or importer. Ghee sold in bulk or in unlabelled containers fails this requirement regardless of whether it is used in a restaurant kitchen or sold directly to consumers. CMC officials directed the management to keep food covered at all times and to source only properly labelled products.

At 7 Sisters (Hitex), the violations were more numerous:

• Prepared food items had not been discarded after their prescribed use-by period.
• Meat products had no proper labelling.
• Food was stored uncovered near drain areas.
• The kitchen had broken tiles and slippery flooring.
• Hot water sanitation was not being followed.
• Lizard droppings were found on storeroom shelves.

The combination of expired prepared food and pest evidence in the storeroom is the more serious concern here. FSSAI's Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations require food business operators to discard cooked food that has crossed its safe holding window. Keeping it in service is a direct contamination risk. Lizard droppings indicate a breakdown in integrated pest management, which FSSAI mandates under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.

Why this matters for Hyderabad diners

Labelling violations in restaurant supply chains are not cosmetic. When a kitchen sources ghee or meat without verified labels, there is no traceable record of the manufacturer, batch number, or date of production. If a contamination incident occurs, tracing the source becomes difficult for both the restaurant and the regulator.

The uncovered food near drain areas at 7 Sisters is a cross-contamination pathway. Drains in commercial kitchens carry bacteria including Salmonella and E. coli. FSSAI's Schedule 4 guidelines specifically prohibit storing food in proximity to drainage points.

Broken tiles and slippery flooring are not just a worker safety issue. Cracked surfaces in a kitchen cannot be sanitised properly because bacteria colonise the gaps. Hot water sanitation, which the 7 Sisters kitchen was skipping, is one of the primary methods for reducing microbial load on surfaces and utensils.

For diners who choose these outlets specifically for the quality of their biryani, the ghee question is worth noting. Ghee is a high-cost ingredient and a common target for adulteration with cheaper fats. Without labelling, there is no way for the restaurant or the customer to verify what they are actually consuming. FSSAI's adulteration testing data has consistently flagged ghee as one of the most frequently adulterated dairy products in India.

What buyers and regular visitors should do

If you eat regularly at biryani outlets in the Kondapur or Hitex areas, or at any high-volume restaurant, a few checks are worth making:

• Ask to see the FSSAI licence, which must be displayed prominently at the premises. A valid licence number can be verified on the FSSAI FoSCoS portal.
• Notice whether the kitchen or prep area visible from the counter shows covered containers. Uncovered food during service hours is a red flag.
• If you are buying packaged ghee, butter, or any ingredient from a restaurant's retail counter, check that the label carries a manufacturer name, FSSAI licence number, and a best-before date. Refuse unlabelled products.
• Complaints about food safety violations at restaurants can be filed through the FSSAI Food Safety Connect app or through the CMC's official channels.

CMC has not yet published the outcome of these inspections in terms of fines or licence suspension. The Hindu's report states that officials issued directions to both outlets but does not confirm whether samples were collected for laboratory testing. Whether follow-up inspections are scheduled is also not confirmed. Clean Label Guide will update this article if CMC releases further action details.