Hyderabad Launches Food Safety Team with Public Hotline

When police raided a Hyderabad warehouse last month, they found something disturbing: over 1,000 kilograms of fake ginger-garlic paste made from chemicals and gum powder being sold to popular restaurants across the city.

That discovery, along with dozens of similar raids uncovering adulterated spices, rotten pickles, and fake dairy products, prompted Hyderabad Police to launch H-FAST, India's first dedicated police task force for food safety. The team began operations last week with a simple mission: protect the public from food fraud.

The 28-member Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team will conduct surprise inspections at manufacturing units, restaurants, and food shops throughout the city. Led by Deputy Commissioner G Vaibhav Raghunath and overseen by Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar, the team combines intelligence gathering with on-the-ground enforcement to catch offenders before contaminated products reach dinner tables.

Recent months revealed the scope of the problem facing India's fourth-largest city. Investigators found turmeric and chili powder mixed with synthetic materials, 3,000 kilograms of counterfeit paneer at a single dairy shop, and pickles prepared using spoiled vegetables in filthy conditions. These products were sold cheaply to unsuspecting restaurants and street vendors, putting countless residents at risk.

The Ripple Effect

What makes H-FAST different is its commitment to working with everyday citizens. The team established a toll-free hotline (8712661212) and social media channels where anyone can report suspicious food practices or contaminated products. This crowdsourced approach transforms Hyderabad's 10 million residents into watchdogs for their own community's health.

The task force takes a zero-tolerance stance, treating food adulteration as the serious public health threat it is. Officers work alongside Food Safety Officials to ensure both immediate action and long-term prosecution of offenders. As more raids succeed and operations expand, the team will grow to cover more ground across the sprawling metropolitan area.

Food safety experts note that dedicated enforcement teams like H-FAST could become models for other Indian cities struggling with similar contamination issues. By combining police authority with public participation and health expertise, Hyderabad is testing whether coordinated action can clean up food supply chains that have operated in shadows for years.

For Hyderabad residents, the message is clear: someone is finally watching out for what ends up on their plates, and they have a direct line to help.