Chennai: Food safety officials fine 3 eateries for 30kg of stale chicken – Times of India

CHENNAI: Food safety officials destroyed at least 30kg of stale chicken stored in deep freezers of three eateries in Royapettah on Monday. The eateries were issued notices and slapped with a fine of Rs5000 each for storing stale meat, which may have found its way into biryanis and curries, officials said.
“Stale meat coated with food colours and cooked in spices in some restaurants can cause serious health hazards including death,” said designated food safety officer (Chennai) Dr Satheesh Kumar P. On Friday, A 10-year-old girl died after consuming chicken dishes at an eatery in Arni in Tiruvannamalai district on Friday and more than 20 others, including three of her family members, were admitted to Government General Hospital.
Poor storage of meat and fish at point of sale and in hotel kitchens are among the primary reasons affecting quality of ingredients at hotels, officials said. Last week food safety officials destroyed more than 270kg of stale fish from godowns in fish markets such as Chintadripet, Kasimedu and Nochikuppam.
When hotels buy meat from such places at a low cost, the quality will be poor. “Also, in several eateries, meat is not stored at right temperatures in deep freezers and chilling trays, or it’s stored for days beyond its life. Instead of throwing them away, some hotels use them to cut corners,” Dr Satheesh said.
During inspection, officials looked for the quality of other ingredients including vegetables and cooking oil, besides hygiene of kitchen, hotel rooms and staff. “While we crack down on hotels, we want to tell people to ensure they check the quality of food. They should say no to food that has added colours,” he said. Complaints can be registered through WhatsApp on 9444042322.