Karnataka's food safety regulators have turned their attention to the ice cream industry.
Inspectors visited 45 manufacturing units across the state on Thursday and picked up 70 samples for laboratory testing.
They also seized out-of-date stock from two Bengaluru outlets and flagged hygiene and labelling lapses at units in Raichur and Mysuru, as per PTI.
The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department said the exercise was carried out under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, on the directions of Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader.
The samples cover finished ice cream and also milk, milk powder, flavouring substances, sugar and food additives. All have been sent to government laboratories to check whether they meet prescribed safety standards.
In Bengaluru's South Zone, which falls under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (the former BBMP), officials removed expired biscuits, milk, alkalised tea and coffee mixes and desiccated coconut powder from Savara Ice Cream Cafe in Jayanagar 3rd Block, PTI reported.
At M N Enterprises in Bilekahalli, they seized expired caramel, condensed milk and khoa, and recorded labelling deficiencies.
Further afield, inspectors found unhygienic conditions at the Gemini Ice Cream Manufacturing Unit in Raichur and issued it a notice. At the John Candy Ice Cream Manufacturing Unit in Mysuru, they found labelling lapses and seized ice cream worth Rs 20,000.
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The department said legal action would follow against the establishments concerned and that similar inspections of ice cream units would continue across the state.
The latest drive is part of a sustained campaign. In August, Khader ordered 30 special teams to carry out surprise inspections at hotels, restaurants and food outlets after a rise in public complaints over poor food quality and hygiene.
On August 31, a statewide drive led to six sweet shops being temporarily shut. Officials cited expired products, misleading labels, unhygienic conditions, fly infestation and unauthorised artificial colours.
Khader has also signalled that the focus will widen. On September 23, he said the government would extend the drive to street-food vendors, stressing that inspections alone cannot deliver food safety.
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He has also announced that the state will host a national gathering of food safety officers and commissioners in October.
Ice cream is a heavily consumed product, and its supply chain depends on perishable inputs such as milk and milk solids.
Storage and labelling lapses can therefore pose real risks. Laboratory results on the 70 samples will show whether any products fall short of the prescribed standards.
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