Dangerous Chemical Spices Seized in Hyderabad as Food Safety Team Takes Action

In a shocking discovery for local residents, food safety officers and the Hyderabad police task force seized over 25,000 kilograms of dangerous adulterated spices during surprise raids across 13 commercial establishments in the city. Police have registered three criminal cases and arrested three traders after discovering that everyday kitchen spices like mustard, cloves, ajwain, and shahjeera were being mixed with harmful textile dyes, industrial talcum powder, synthetic colours, and cheap rice-bran oil to artificially increase their shine, weight, and visual appeal. Health experts have warned that consuming these chemical-laced spices can cause severe stomach damage, organ damage, and long-term risks such as cancer.

This major seizure is part of a continuous crackdown by the Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) and GHMC officials to protect public health. In just 140 days of operation, the team has conducted 659 raids, filed 202 FIRs, and confiscated nearly 2.46 lakh kilograms of unsafe food items, including synthetic paneer, chemical ginger-garlic paste, stale meat, spoiled dairy, and unsafe drinking water. Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar issued a strict warning that selling poisoned food to the public will be treated as a grave crime, advising citizens to purchase spices only from licensed vendors and report any suspicious food packaging units directly to the police.