Karnataka: 9kg expired chicken seized from Mysuru hotel
What's the story
A statewide food safety crackdown in Karnataka has uncovered major hygiene and quality violations at various food establishments. The drive, led by the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration Department, has resulted in the seizure of large quantities of expired and unsafe food items. In Mysuru city and district alone, authorities seized 9kg of expired chicken from Rio Meridian Hotel.
Hotel inspections
Other food establishments inspected
The Grand Mercure Hotel had 68kg of meat seized during the inspections. At Q Star Hotel, 4kg of mushrooms were confiscated.
Three resorts in Mysuru and Nanjangud taluks were also inspected, resulting in three notices being issued for violations.
During these operations, around 16kg of expired and perishable food items were discarded.
Consumer complaint
KFC outlet in Mangaluru was also checked
In coastal Karnataka, a surprise inspection was conducted at a KFC outlet in Mangaluru's City Centre. The inspection was triggered by a consumer complaint regarding stale food.
Food safety teams checked the outlet's kitchen, storage areas, cold rooms, and cooked food stocks as part of their investigation into the matter.
Urban inspections
Inspections conducted in major urban centers
The crackdown has also reached major urban centers like Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Mangaluru.
Inspections of three-star and five-star hotels in these areas revealed expired food products, rotten vegetables, fungal contamination, as well as improper meat storage practices.
Over 1,000kg of unsafe food items have been seized during recent operations across Karnataka.
Government facilities
Government food outlets also found violating norms
The inspections were not limited to private establishments. Food outlets in key government complexes such as Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha, and Arogya Soudha were also found violating food safety norms.
Authorities discovered unhygienic food handling practices, inadequate pest-control measures, and expired ingredients in some facilities.
Quick-commerce storage centers and community feeding facilities like certain Indira Canteens have also been scrutinized for sanitation deficiencies.
Ongoing inspections
Enforcement drive aims to ensure compliance with food safety standards
In Bengaluru Urban district alone, food safety teams inspected 60 three-star and five-star hotels. They collected 77 food samples for laboratory testing as part of the ongoing crackdown.
The enforcement drive aims to ensure compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related licensing regulations.
Food business operators are urged to maintain proper temperature control, sanitation standards, and waste disposal systems in their establishments.