- Expired food items were seized and destroyed during inspections at Bengaluru premium hotels
- FDA conducted checks at 26 hotels with 30 teams across Bengaluru Urban district zones
- Samples of meat, milk, spices, and other foods were collected for lab analysis
Expired milk, meat and vegetables were among food items seized and destroyed during inspections at several premium hotels in Bengaluru, according to NDTV.
The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration Department carried out a special inspection drive across 3-star and 5-star hotels in Bengaluru to check compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations.
According to NDTV, 30 teams of Food Safety Officers inspected 26 hotels across Bengaluru Urban district, covering all BBMP zones. The inspections were conducted to assess compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations.
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Officials collected 35 food samples during the inspections. The samples included chicken, mutton, fish, edible oil, milk, spices, tea powder, cheese, tomato sauce, lemon juice and other food items. These samples have been sent to laboratories for analysis.
Expired Food, Hygiene Violations Found
The inspections uncovered several food safety and hygiene violations, including unhygienic kitchens and storage areas, expired food products and fungal growth on vegetables.
Officials also found instances of improper food handling, misbranded products, non-compliance with FSSAI labelling requirements and a failure to maintain separate storage facilities for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items.
Food Safety officials have issued notices to the concerned Food Business Operators. Adjudication proceedings under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, will be initiated against establishments where violations are confirmed.
Further action will depend on the laboratory analysis reports.
Food Items Seized From Hotels
According to NDTV, officials seized and destroyed large quantities of expired and unsafe food items from several hotels during the inspections.
At The Lalit Ashok (Annex South), officials seized 76 kg of meat, 200 kg of vegetables and 32 litres of expired milk.
At Shangri-La Bengaluru, 15 kg of meat was seized, while Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru had 19 kg of meat seized.
Officials also seized 3 kg of expired bakery products from Vivanta Bengaluru Whitefield and 72 kg of meat and fish from Taj Yeshwantpur.
At Radisson Blu (The Atria), officials seized 105 kg of expired food articles, including 50 kg of chicken, 25 kg of meat, 23 kg of fish and 7 kg of vegetables.
The department has directed all food business operators to strictly follow food safety regulations and prescribed hygiene standards. It also warned that stringent legal action would follow wherever violations are confirmed.
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Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader said the inspections were aimed at ensuring that even top-tier hotels follow food safety norms and prescribed hygiene standards.
He added that action against larger establishments would also serve as a wake-up call for smaller businesses to comply with food safety rules.
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