Hyderabad: The commissioner of food safety’s task force found the storeroom of the JNTU canteen at Sultanpur of Sangareddy to be unhygienic with excessive rat infestation. The kitchen, washing and dining areas were kept in unhygienic conditions. Fungal infestation was found in 25 kilograms of vegetables which the inspectors discarded on the spot.
About 15 kilograms of maida was found infested with black beetles. Food handlers were found without head caps, aprons and medical records. The water RO was not working at the canteen.
Inspections were conducted at the canteen on JNTU campus in Kukatpally earlier in the week. The canteen was being run without a proper FSSAI licence. The kitchen was found in unhygienic conditions with food waste thrown directly on the floor. Semi-prepared food articles and cut vegetables were found uncovered. The kitchen was also not covered with insect proof screens and doors.
Vamsi Krishna, a fourth year student from the BTech Electrical said that hygiene was extremely poor at the canteen. "The eating area is specifically not clean. No proper is hygiene is maintained. The servers also are not consistent in wearing gloves and headgear. This is the reason I only buy packed food from there."
However, these major violations do not seem to have any affect on some students who eat regularly from the canteen. Regalia, a fourth-year BTech student said she ate regularly at the canteen. While the unappealing condition of the canteen surprised her, she will continue to have food prepared there.
"While the hygiene was never perfect at the canteen, I have never had any major health issues because of the food prepared there. I do not think the inspections have had any affect on the popularity of the canteen. It could be because of the exam season and less number of students being present on campus at the time of inspections," she said.
