States » SouthPosted at: Oct 3 2026 7:07AM


1,436 litres of reused cooking oil seized, 74 eateries shut in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 3 (UNI) The Kerala Food Safety Department seized and destroyed 1,436.4 litres of cooking oil found to have been repeatedly heated or rendered unfit for use and suspended the operations of 74 food establishments during a two-day statewide inspection drive.
The inspections were carried out on September 29 and 30 as part of ‘Operation Thelima’, launched to curb the repeated use of cooking oil in food establishments. Special squads inspected 1,834 establishments across all 14 districts, Health and Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan said.
Adjudication proceedings under food safety laws have been recommended against 19 establishments found violating prescribed food safety standards, while 147 improvement and rectification notices were issued for deficiencies related to hygiene, licensing and other food safety practices.
The inspections focused mainly on roadside eateries, tea shops, food stalls and snack manufacturing units where fried snacks and other fried food products are prepared and sold in large quantities.
The special squads, comprising Food Safety Officers and other personnel, commenced inspections from 1600 hours to coincide with the peak period for the preparation and sale of fried food items, the Minister said.
The quality of cooking oil was checked using Total Polar Compounds (TPC) meters and mobile food testing laboratories. A total of 74 oil samples were tested on the spot, enabling the authorities to take immediate action wherever violations were detected.
TPC is an indicator of the deterioration of cooking oil due to repeated heating. Under the prevailing food safety standards, cooking oil with a TPC level exceeding 25 per cent cannot be used for cooking.
Repeated heating causes chemical degradation of cooking oil and leads to the formation of polar compounds and other degradation products. Continued use of such degraded oil can pose health risks, the Minister said.
Food establishments that use cooking oil in large quantities are required to maintain records of its use and disposal. Used cooking oil should be handed over to authorised agencies for conversion into biodiesel.
The special inspections under Operation Thelima will continue, and the drive will be extended to more areas based on complaints received from the public, Muraleedharan said.
There would be no compromise on violations endangering public health in the name of business, and strict legal action would be taken against establishments where violations are confirmed, he added.
UNI DS
Tags: #1#436 litres of reused cooking oil seized# 74 eateries shut in Kerala
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