Food safety officials from the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation recently conducted extensive inspections of food courts within prominent multiplexes across Hyderabad, revealing generally better adherence to safety standards compared to standalone restaurants. These targeted raids, which took place on Friday, aimed to assess the hygiene and quality of food served to moviegoers in high-traffic entertainment venues.

The inspections covered food outlets at PVR INOX in Inorbit Mall, Cinepolis in Lulu Mall, and INOX in GSM Mall. Officials noted that while some minor deficiencies were identified, the overall situation was significantly better than the severe violations uncovered in recent inspections of various restaurants across the city. Unlike those previous raids, which exposed issues such as the presence of cockroaches, stale food, and moldy ingredients, multiplex food courts largely maintained satisfactory conditions.

At PVR INOX in Inorbit Mall, inspectors found expired 'sev' and spoiled cauliflower, which were immediately disposed of. They also observed cooked chicken tikka stored improperly in a freezer and a lack of proper labeling on some food items. Despite these issues, officials commended the staff for maintaining personal hygiene, including wearing hairnets and aprons, and noted the general cleanliness of the premises was satisfactory.

Similarly, at Cinepolis in Lulu Mall, minor lapses included dustbins without lids and cooked pasta stored in a freezer. However, the majority of the food safety standards met expectations. The INOX outlet in GSM Mall received improvement notices due to issues such as inadequate labeling for burger buns and chicken tikka, and the absence of readily available water quality test reports. These notices mandate the management to rectify the identified shortcomings promptly.

These findings offer a degree of reassurance to cinema patrons, especially in light of the alarming discoveries made during earlier raids on restaurants in areas like Gachibowli, Madinaguda, and Kondapur. Those inspections had brought to light serious concerns, including the presence of pests and the storage of unhygienic, spoiled food, prompting widespread public concern about food safety in the city's eateries. The contrast highlights a more diligent approach to food safety within the multiplex environment.

The Cyberabad Municipal Corporation's proactive approach underscores its commitment to ensuring public health and safety across all food establishments. While multiplexes demonstrated a comparatively better performance, the issuance of improvement notices indicates that authorities expect continuous vigilance and adherence to all food safety regulations. This ongoing scrutiny aims to foster a culture of compliance and protect consumers from potential health risks associated with unhygienic food practices. Patrons can expect continued monitoring and enforcement actions to ensure that all food service providers meet stringent health and safety benchmarks.