Hyderabad Absolute Barbeque outlets inspection finds unhygienic kitchens, expired food

Hyderabad’s popular restaurant chain Absolute Barbeque has come under the scanner after the Food Safety Task Force and Food Safety Officers (FSOs) inspected ten of its outlets on Tuesday (September 9, 2025) following a complaint lodged with the Commissioner of Food Safety.

The teams visited outlets at A.S. Rao Nagar, Kompally, Medipally, Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Gachibowli, Inorbit, Miyapur, Vanasthalipuram and Secunderabad, and found a series of violations ranging from unhygienic kitchen conditions to storage lapses.

Officials reported that several outlets were using dirty utensils, with unclean flooring and wash areas. Refrigerators had not been cleaned or defrosted, while chopping boards were found to be degenerated. Infestations were also noted, with cockroaches and houseflies at the Banjara Hills and Gachibowli outlets. At the Medipally branch, expired food items were found , while rotten fruits with fungal growth were found at the Inorbit outlet, said the CFS handle on X.

Storage lapses were recorded in multiple locations, including food stored directly on the floor alongside rat pads, beetle-infested flour at the A.S. Rao Nagar outlet, and racks contaminated with rat droppings. Officials also found rusty and unhygienic storage conditions.

In addition, violations of the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 were observed across the outlets. Food items were seized during the inspections, samples were lifted for testing, and notices were issued to the management, they added.