A food safety inspection across several high-end hotels in Bengaluru has uncovered a series of violations, including expired dairy products, fungus-affected vegetables, improperly stored meat and unhygienic kitchen conditions.
The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department carried out the inspection drive on August 7, targeting 26 three-star and five-star hotels across different zones of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Thirty food safety teams were deployed during the operation.
Fungal Food, Expired Products Found
Officials reported finding food items that were either expired, improperly stored or affected by fungal growth. Kitchens and storage areas at some properties were also found to be operating under unhygienic conditions.
Inspectors recovered expired milk and bakery products along with chicken, fish, meat and vegetables. Authorities also detected instances where vegetarian and non-vegetarian food was not stored separately.
Other violations included inadequate labelling, food misbranding and non-compliance with mandatory food safety labelling requirements.
Hundreds Of Kilos Of Food Seized
The inspections resulted in substantial quantities of food being removed from hotel premises.
At The Lalit Ashok (Annex South), officials seized 76 kg of meat and 200 kg of vegetables, besides disposing of 32 litres of expired milk.
At Shangri-La Bengaluru, around 15 kg of meat was seized, while Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru reported a seizure of 19 kg of meat.
Officials also recovered 3 kg of expired bakery products from Vivanta Bengaluru Whitefield and 72 kg of meat from Taj Yeshwantpur.
The Radisson Blu (The Atria) recorded the largest seizure, with 105 kg of expired food products recovered. This included chicken, meat, fish and vegetables.
35 Food Samples Sent For Laboratory Testing
Food safety officials collected 35 samples from the inspected hotels for laboratory examination. The samples included milk, edible oil, tea powder, chicken, mutton, fish, cheese, spices, sauces, lemon juice, papad, cashew nuts and other food products.
The samples have been forwarded to the Food Laboratory for analysis. Authorities said further action will depend on the laboratory findings and applicable food safety regulations.
Hotels Served Notices
The department has issued notices to hotels where violations were detected. Officials are expected to initiate additional action wherever laboratory results or inspection findings establish breaches of food safety regulations.
The Bengaluru crackdown highlights the importance of maintaining proper hygiene, storage, labelling and segregation standards even in premium hospitality establishments.
