Karnataka has intensified statewide food safety inspections following the discovery of large quantities of expired, contaminated and unsafe food at hotels, restaurants, government food outlets and storage facilities.
The crackdown, led by the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration, has seen surprise inspections across urban and semi-urban areas, with officials focusing on hygiene, storage and food safety compliance.
Mysuru inspections uncover expired meat and perishables
During inspections in Mysuru on August 15, officials seized 9 kg of expired chicken from Rio Meridian Hotel and 68 kg of unsafe meat from Grand Mercure Hotel.
At Q Star Hotel, inspectors found 4 kg of mushrooms unfit for consumption due to spoilage and improper storage. Three resorts in Mysuru and nearby Nanjangud were also issued notices for violations.
Officials collected five food samples for laboratory testing, including two legal samples and three survey samples. Around 16 kg of expired and perishable food was discarded at the inspection sites.
More than 1,000 kg of unsafe food seized
The Mysuru action forms part of a wider enforcement drive across Karnataka. Authorities have seized more than 1,000 kg of unsafe and expired food, including expired meat, rotten vegetables, mould-affected produce, expired dairy products and mislabelled items.
In Bengaluru, teams inspected 60 hotels and collected 77 samples for testing. Inspections have also covered government food outlets at Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and Arogya Soudha, along with some quick-commerce storage facilities and Indira Canteens.
Inspections to expand across Karnataka
The government plans to extend inspections to private hostels, PG accommodations, wedding halls, railway canteens, bus stops and food served on flights.
Health Minister UT Khader has also announced plans for QR codes outside hotels and pharmacies to make it easier for consumers to report food safety concerns.
Officials have warned food businesses that violations will not be overlooked, as the state steps up efforts to ensure food served to the public meets mandatory safety standards.