Buying pheni for Dasara? What Telangana’s hygiene raids on pheni units found

Telangana’s food and drugs regulator has asked families shopping for pheni for Dasara, as well as khara and other festive snacks, to think twice about where they buy, after its inspectors found filthy conditions at several Hyderabad units that make the crisp, thread-like sweet. The caution comes at the height of Dasara buying, when demand for pheni, traditionally eaten soaked in sweetened milk, peaks.

The advisory follows an enforcement drive on Thursday, October 8, when teams of food safety officers checked 12 pheni and khara manufacturing and retail units in the Core Urban Region (CURE). The visits covered localities including Attapur, Jiyaguda, Charminar, Begum Bazar and Moosarambagh.

What the inspectors found

Officials seized roughly 1,950 kg of pheni valued at Rs 2.30 lakh, citing labelling violations and doubts about its quality. The FSSAI licences of five establishments were suspended, and a unit in Jiyaguda that was running with no licence at all was told to stop work. Six other businesses were served show-cause notices.

The findings make for uncomfortable reading. Inspectors reported flies in production areas, walls marked with gutka and pan masala spit, and workers paying little attention to personal hygiene. At some premises food was left open to dust or stored on the floor; others were frying in the same oil over and over, had uncovered drains or kept no proper records. Some units were manufacturing on a licence meant only for retail. Food found mixed with gutka and pan masala packets was thrown away on the spot.

Lab results still pending

Twelve samples were sent to the laboratory to test for adulteration. No results had been made public by 19 October, so it has not been established that any of the seized pheni or khara was adulterated. The seizure itself rested on labelling lapses and suspected quality problems, and no date has been announced for the test reports.

How to buy safely this festival

The simplest safeguard is to buy only from licensed sellers. On a packet, look for the 14-digit FSSAI licence or registration number, a list of ingredients, and clearly printed manufacturing and expiry dates. A pack with missing or smudged details is a warning sign.

Check the snack itself before paying. Leave it if the colour looks unnatural or patchy, if it smells stale or rancid, or if there is any sign of dirt or insects. Fried snacks that taste bitter or smell of burnt oil may have been cooked in oil reused too many times. Be wary of loose pheni and khara heaped in open trays at shops that look unclean.

Anyone who falls ill or spots unsafe food can complain to TG SAFE, or use the national channels run by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India: the toll-free helpline 1800-112-100, which works round the clock, and the Food Safety Connect app on Android and iPhone. Keeping the bill and the packet makes a complaint easier to follow up.

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