A food safety inspection drive across Bengaluru's luxury hotels has uncovered expired food, rotten meat, fungal growth and unhygienic storage conditions, prompting authorities to seize and destroy unsafe food items.
The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration deployed 30 teams to inspect 26 three-star and five-star hotels across Bengaluru Urban district. The inspections covered all Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike zones and focused on compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations.
Officials collected 35 food samples for laboratory testing. The samples included chicken, mutton, fish, milk, edible oil, spices, tea powder, cheese, tomato sauce and lemon juice. Further action will be taken based on the laboratory results.
The inspections found several violations, including expired food products, poor storage conditions, unhygienic kitchens and fungal growth on vegetables. Officials also flagged improper food handling, misbranded products and violations of food labelling requirements.
Some establishments were also found failing to properly segregate vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items.
Authorities issued notices to the concerned food business operators and initiated proceedings wherever violations were established. Large quantities of expired and unsafe food were seized and destroyed during the inspections.
At The Lalit Ashok (Annex South), officials confiscated and destroyed 76 kg of meat, 200 kg of vegetables and 32 litres of expired milk. Shangri-La Bengaluru saw 15 kg of meat seized, while 19 kg was confiscated at Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru.
At Vivanta Bengaluru Whitefield, officials destroyed 3 kg of expired bakery products.
The inspections also covered Taj Yeshwantpur, where 72 kg of meat and fish was seized. At Radisson Blu (The Atria), authorities destroyed 105 kg of expired food, including chicken, meat, fish and vegetables.
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The Karnataka government said the inspection drive was aimed at ensuring that premium establishments comply with food safety and hygiene requirements. Health Minister UT Khader stressed that food safety norms must be followed across all categories of hotels.
The department has directed food business operators to maintain prescribed standards and comply with food safety regulations. Authorities warned that strict legal action would follow wherever violations are confirmed.
The inspection drive comes amid heightened scrutiny of food safety practices in restaurants and hotels, with authorities emphasising that luxury establishments are not exempt from mandatory hygiene and food safety requirements.
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