Over 11 tonnes of adulterated and expired spices seized from two units in Hyderabad
Authorities in Hyderabad seized over 11 tonnes of adulterated and expired spices during raids on two manufacturing units. The products contained harmful fillers like sawdust and powdered stems, leading to the arrest of two individuals.
Why it matters
Food safety enforcement is critical for public health, especially regarding the integrity of common household staples.
Chilli powder containing powdered stems and sawdust, and coriander powder mixed with ground branches and stems, were among the adulterated food products detected during raids at two units in Medipally and Ramanthapur on Thursday.
The operations were conducted by the Special Operations Team (SOT) Malkajgiri, SOT Cantonment, Uppal Police and the Malkajgiri Food Adulteration Surveillance Team as part of the M-FAST initiative.
In Medipally, the teams found that stems were powdered and mixed into chilli powder. An officer involved in the raid from the SOT said that sawdust was also allegedly mixed into the chilli powder, with the adulterants accounting for around 20-30% of the product.
“Low-quality material was also being used in coriander powder. Branches and stems were allegedly mixed into the coriander powder. In turmeric powder, the outer layer and material discarded during the initial cleaning process were allegedly ground and mixed into the product,” explained the officer.
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