Hyderabad, 10 July
After Restaurants, Now Cloud Kitchens: Expired Curd Used to Make Mint Chaas
After Restaurants Now Cloud Kitchens has become the latest focus of Hyderabad‘s ongoing food safety drive, with officials uncovering expired food items at a cloud kitchen operating several well-known food delivery brands. During a surprise inspection at Rebel Foods Pvt. Ltd.’s facility in Kondapur, food safety teams found expired curd being used to prepare mint chaas, raising fresh concerns about food hygiene and consumer safety.
The cloud kitchen serves multiple popular brands, including Oven Story, Behrouz Biryani, Faasos, Sweet Truth, Wendy’s, and LunchBox, all from a single location. Inspectors discovered five packets of curd that had expired on July 5, another six packets that had expired on July 8, and Indian gravy that had expired on July 4. Officials confirmed that the expired curd was being used to prepare mint chaas before it was seized and discarded.
After Restaurants Now Cloud Kitchens: Food Safety Drive Intensifies
The After Restaurants Now Cloud Kitchens campaign reflects the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation’s continued efforts to ensure food businesses follow hygiene and food safety regulations. In recent weeks, inspection teams have visited restaurants, quick-commerce warehouses, institutional kitchens, and now cloud kitchens as part of a citywide enforcement drive.
Apart from the expired food items, officials observed an unhygienic wash area inside the facility, which was flagged as another violation requiring immediate attention. Maintaining clean preparation and washing areas is considered essential for preventing food contamination and protecting public health.
Altered Medical Certificates Raise Serious Questions
Another major concern during the inspection involved the medical fitness certificates of food handlers. Authorities stated that several certificates appeared to have been altered and did not match the actual medical examination reports. The authenticity of these documents will now be verified separately by the concerned authorities.
The After Restaurants Now Cloud Kitchens inspections are also highlighting recurring issues involving employee health records. Food handlers are required to undergo regular medical examinations to ensure they are fit to work in food preparation environments. Any manipulation of these records is treated as a serious violation of food safety norms.
Good Practices Also Noted During Inspection
Despite the violations, inspectors also acknowledged certain positive practices followed by the cloud kitchen. Food handlers were wearing hairnets while preparing food, no synthetic food colours were found on the premises, and the facility was conducting regular Total Plate Count (TPC) testing to monitor the quality of cooking oil.
Based on the overall assessment, the outlet received a hygiene score of 78 out of 100. However, officials clarified that the presence of expired food items and questionable medical certificates outweighed these positive measures.
Improvement Notice Issued to the Cloud Kitchen
Following the inspection, the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation issued an improvement notice to the Food Business Operator and directed the management to immediately rectify all deficiencies. The expired food products were destroyed on the spot to prevent their use in food preparation.
The After Restaurants Now Cloud Kitchens enforcement drive will continue across Hyderabad as officials aim to improve food safety standards in all food establishments. Authorities warned that businesses failing to comply with food safety regulations could face stricter action under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Consumers have also been advised to remain alert while ordering food online and to report any concerns regarding food quality or hygiene to the authorities. As After Restaurants Now Cloud Kitchens becomes the latest chapter in Hyderabad’s food safety inspections, officials say regular raids will continue to ensure that restaurants, cloud kitchens, and other food businesses maintain safe and hygienic practices for the public.