The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has sealed Octant Pizza restaurant after an insect was found in gulab jamun syrup. This incident is just one of many reports of pests found in food across the city — from small eateries to five-star hotels.
What’s shocking is that nearly 90% of Ahmedabad’s food outlets do not have a pest control certificate. Out of 3,628 registered places, including hotels, restaurants, and street food vendors, only about 10% follow proper pest control practices. The rest only claim to keep their kitchens clean, but without any official proof or regular measures.
The number of restaurants in the city is rising — from 2,214 in 2023 to a 4% increase this year. But with more food lovers dining out, poor kitchen hygiene and untrained staff have led to growing complaints of insects, pests, and stale food.
Even luxury hotels haven’t been spared. In September 2024, a five-star hotel near Shivranjani was fined ₹50,000 for hygiene issues. Another hotel in Vastrapur was shut for two days after an insect was found in the food.
In another recent case, a bakery in Behrampura was found serving ice cream with a lizard’s tail, along with other pest issues.
A well-known restaurant owner admitted, “Every hotel or restaurant must follow pest control norms, but due to large crowds, hygiene is often ignored. Most of the time, complaints are settled privately. Only when customers raise their voice, does AMC step in and take action.”
These incidents show that hygiene standards in Ahmedabad’s food industry need urgent improvement and strict monitoring.