Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is planning to introduce QR codes at public places, including hotels and medical stores, to enable people to quickly report complaints related to food quality, service and other issues, Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader said on Monday.

The proposed system is aimed at creating a direct channel between consumers and food safety officials. By scanning a QR code displayed at participating establishments, members of the public will be able to submit complaints, allowing authorities to receive information about potential violations more quickly.

Khader announced the proposed initiative while speaking to reporters in Bengaluru about the ongoing food safety enforcement operations across the city and the state.

QR-based complaint system planned

According to Khader, the government is working on a system through which complaints from the public can reach officials without delay.

“This system is being designed to bring public complaints to the attention of officials quickly,” he said, adding that Karnataka was taking steps to introduce such a mechanism.

The initiative is expected to give consumers a more accessible way to flag concerns about food quality and hygiene. Complaints could help authorities identify establishments that require inspection or follow-up action.

The system is also intended to strengthen public participation in food-safety monitoring, particularly in places where large numbers of people consume food or purchase products.

Food safety inspections to continue

Khader said inspections of hotels in Bengaluru would continue as part of the government’s ongoing enforcement drive.

However, the scope of inspections will extend beyond conventional hotels and restaurants. Private hostels, paying guest (PG) facilities, bus stands, wedding halls, railway canteens and food served on flights will also come under scrutiny.

The minister warned that establishments serving poor-quality food would not be given concessions.

He particularly stressed that food served at PG facilities would also be subject to food-safety standards and that violations would not be overlooked simply because the premises were residential or accommodation facilities.

The expanded inspections are aimed at ensuring that people consuming food outside their homes are protected from unsafe preparation, poor storage practices and expired products.

More than 60 hotels inspected

Khader said food safety teams had already inspected more than 60 three-star and five-star hotels within Bengaluru city limits.

The inspections were conducted as part of the intensified enforcement operations following complaints and concerns over food quality at various establishments.

In addition to hotels, officials inspected eight godowns and four enterprise restaurants.

The inspections were carried out by 30 teams led by food safety and health officials, according to the minister.

The large-scale deployment of teams is intended to increase the coverage of inspections and enable officials to examine establishments across different parts of the city.

Expired and improperly stored food seized

During the inspections, officials reportedly found several food products that had expired, were incorrectly labelled or had not been stored appropriately.

Such violations can pose food-safety risks, particularly when perishable items are kept under unsuitable conditions or when products are sold beyond their prescribed shelf life.

Improper labelling can also make it difficult for consumers to determine important information about a product, including its contents, manufacturing details and expiry information.

The seizure of such products highlights the importance of maintaining proper food-storage facilities and ensuring that establishments regularly check their inventories.

PGs and hostels also under scanner

The decision to include private hostels and PG facilities in the inspection drive is significant because large numbers of students, employees and other residents depend on these establishments for daily meals.

Food prepared in such facilities needs to meet basic hygiene and safety requirements, just as food served in commercial restaurants does.

Khader said there would be no exemption if poor-quality food was found to be served at PG facilities.

The government is also expected to inspect food preparation and serving practices at other high-footfall locations, including transport hubs and event venues.

Railway canteens, wedding halls and flights included

The proposed expansion will cover food served at railway canteens, bus stands, wedding halls and flights.

These locations serve large numbers of people, often within a short period. Maintaining proper storage temperatures, kitchen hygiene and food-handling practices is therefore particularly important.

Wedding halls and catering facilities can face additional challenges because large quantities of food are prepared and served simultaneously. Regular monitoring can help identify unsafe practices before they result in foodborne illness.

Similarly, food served during air travel and at railway and bus facilities will be subject to scrutiny as part of the wider enforcement effort.

Public participation could strengthen enforcement

The proposed QR-code system could provide authorities with an additional source of information about food establishments.

Routine inspections are important, but officials cannot monitor every establishment continuously. Public complaints can help identify problems that may otherwise remain undetected between inspections.

A simple scanning mechanism could make it easier for consumers to report concerns immediately after encountering poor-quality food or unhygienic conditions.

The effectiveness of the system, however, will depend on how quickly complaints are assessed and whether appropriate inspections and action follow.

Focus on food quality and hygiene

The latest measures come amid intensified food-safety inspections in Karnataka.

Authorities have been focusing on several potential violations, including expired food products, improper storage, mislabelling and unhygienic food preparation.

The inspections are intended to ensure that establishments comply with prescribed food-safety standards and that consumers are not exposed to avoidable risks.

For establishments, the expanded enforcement drive means greater emphasis will be required on kitchen cleanliness, storage conditions, product labelling, expiry checks and safe food-handling practices.

Conclusion

The proposed QR-code complaint system could give consumers a direct role in Karnataka’s food-safety enforcement mechanism by making it easier to alert officials about suspected violations.

At the same time, the government’s decision to widen inspections to hotels, restaurants, PGs, hostels, wedding halls, transport facilities, railway canteens and flights signals a broader approach to food-safety monitoring.

With inspections already covering more than 60 three-star and five-star hotels, eight godowns and four enterprise restaurants in Bengaluru, establishments across the city are now under increased scrutiny. The government has made it clear that food-quality and hygiene violations will invite action, regardless of the size or type of establishment.