Guntur district administration launched an inquiry into a food poisoning outbreak at a private college. Approximately 50 students have experienced symptoms daily since October 29 . District Collector A Thameem Ansariya established a committee to investigate the incident.
Tenali Sub-Collector V Sanjana Simha confirmed the ongoing inquiry. Officials have inspected campus mess facilities, which serve both male and female students separately.
Inquiry Focuses on Food Safety Standards
Inspections focused on compliance with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms. This included grocery storage, food cooking procedures, and overall sanitation standards. Officials also assessed the quality of water used for drinking and cleaning.
Food safety officials collected samples of food and water from the campus. The institution obtains half its water from the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA). The remaining half comes from private tanker suppliers.
The college maintains a water filtration system on campus. Despite this, all collected water samples underwent laboratory analysis. Reports for these samples are expected by Friday or Saturday .
Over 50 Students Affected Daily
Around 6,000 students eat meals on campus every day. Approximately 50 students have reported food poisoning symptoms daily since October 29 . Symptoms include digestive discomfort.
College management initially informed officials that only a small number of students were affected. However, the district administration was not satisfied with this explanation. Officials demanded detailed reports from the college.
Some affected students received admission to a private hospital for treatment. Other students received care directly on campus. The exact cause of the food poisoning remains under investigation.
Hygiene Directives Issued
The district administration stressed the critical need for strict hygiene maintenance on campus. Officials also emphasized proper food storage practices to prevent future incidents.
Students reportedly informed officials about previous food quality issues. Protests had reportedly occurred earlier regarding the college’s food. The institution temporarily stopped purchasing chicken and eggs from its regular vendor. This action aimed to prevent further potential problems.