Food safety officials find cockroach infestation at KS Bakers in Kukatpally

Officials from the Cyberabad Commissionerate's Food Safety team conducted a routine inspection at KS Bakers in Kukatpally, Hyderabad, uncovering several hygiene lapses that included a cockroach infestation and rusted ovens. The inspection was part of a larger, ongoing initiative of routine food safety checks carried out by the team across the commissionerate.

Following the inspection, officials recommended that an improvement notice be issued to the bakery. The management and staff of KS Bakers were instructed to implement immediate corrective measures to address the sanitary deficiencies identified on the premises.

During their assessment of the Kukatpally establishment, the food safety inspectors observed that the kitchen and storage areas fell short of required hygiene standards. Specifically, the team found inadequate segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian items inside the freezer.

In addition to the poor food segregation, the inspection revealed a cockroach infestation in the facility. The team also documented the use of rusted ovens and noted that both the storage containers and the kitchen tiles were untidy.

Despite these significant lapses, the food safety team also recorded several positive practices during their visit. The inspectors observed that the bakery's food handlers were compliant with safety gear, wearing both aprons and hairnets.

The establishment also demonstrated adherence to other safety standards, such as conducting regular food and water testing through external laboratories. Additionally, the inspectors noted proper labelling on cakes, systematic adherence to the First In, First Out (FIFO) inventory system, and the maintenance of up-to-date medical fitness records for the staff. A FOSTAC-trained supervisor was also present to oversee operations.

As a result of these mixed findings, KS Bakers secured a score of 94 out of 116 marks in the official hygiene assessment. This gave the bakery an overall score of 82% in the evaluation conducted by the food safety team, even as they face directives to clean up the identified deficiencies.