A food adulteration racket involved in supplying tainted ginger and garlic paste to city restaurants and wholesalers has been detected by the authorities.
A manufacturing unit at Katedan was raided and officials seized 4 tonnes (4,032 kg) of ginger-garlic paste, along with over 6,200 kg of low quality raw materials and other items, collectively worth about Rs 22 lakh were seized.
The investigating teams from Task Force (Khairatabad) along with H-Fast team also arrested the owner of the manufacturing unit Hasan Ali Rupani, in the IDA area in Mailardevpally on Tuesday.
During
inspection, officials found that the ginger garlic paste was being prepared in unhygienic conditions using inferior raw materials, including garlic peels, and chemical additives such as acetic acid and xanthan gum.
The products were reportedly stored in open containers, exposed to dust and flies, and packed without proper food safety certification. Police officials said the adulterated paste was being supplied to wholesale kirana stores, restaurants and catering services across the city.
The owner of the manufacturing unit and the seized material were handed over to Mailardevpally police for further investigation.