Bengaluru, 8 August

The Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department on Saturday seized around 70 kg of sauces and 10 litres of beverages nearing expiry during a special inspection drive at storage and distribution facilities across Bengaluru, officials said.

The inspection follows Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader’s vow to crackdown on substandard food and ensure compliance with safety norms in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike area. Thirty teams have been formed to inspect all eateries, including three-star and five-star hotels and roadside vendors amid a surge of complaints about substandard food. 

During the inspections, food storage and distribution centres operated by two private entities were checked, and around 70 kg of soy sauce and other sauces nearing their expiry dates were found and seized, the department said. In addition, five meat samples and 13 other food samples were collected and sent for analysis, it said.

Similarly, around 10 litres of various beverages, including strawberry-flavoured drinks and other beverages nearing their expiry dates, were seized, the department said.

Notably, some of Bengaluru’s poshest hotels, including Four Seasons, Shangri-La, the Lalit Ashok, Taj Yeshwantpur, and Vivanta Bengaluru Whitefield, also had expired or adulterated meat and vegatables. Among the largest recoveries was at Radisson Blu (The Atria), where authorities seized and destroyed 105 kg of expired food articles. 

Authorities are insisting that hotels comply with the the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Rules, 2011.