CHENNAI: The department of food safety came down heavily on a KFC outlet operating at a commercial complex in Tuticorin on Thursday after serious discrepancies in food safety and hygiene came to light.
The food safety licence of the outlet was cancelled indefinitely after the officials found that the staff were using a synthetic magnesium silicate to clean and reuse the old oil used for frying the chicken.
The food safety officials who conducted a search of the restaurant premises seized 18 kgs of magnesium silicate synthetic, 45 litres of reused oil and 56 kgs of meat that was unused for more than 12 hours.
The department banned the outlet's licence temporarily and ordered that the shop remain closed until further notice.
A food safety related search was also conducted by the team at the small pani puri stalls operating in the same commercial complex premises.
High-quality oil and chicken are sourced from reputed suppliers in the country, and all applicable safety and quality standards laid down by the FSSAI and other relevant authorities are followed stringently, KFC said in a statement.
Referring to the recent media reports, said "We would like to clarify that the use of Magnesium Silicate as a clarifying agent is approved as per FSSAI; and all KFC chicken including marinated chicken is completely safe for consumption after cooking, as per FSSAI norms."
"We are actively engaging with the concerned authorities for swift and effective resolution of the issue," it further said.