Mangaluru: A KFC outlet in Mangaluru was sealed by food safety officials following a customer complaint alleging that stale and foul-smelling chicken had been supplied through an online food order.
The action comes amid increased food safety inspections across Karnataka, with authorities closely monitoring restaurants and food establishments following complaints from consumers.
Food safety team conducts inspection
The complaint was reportedly filed after a customer ordered Chicken Peri Peri Legs from the outlet and allegedly found the food to be stale and emitting an unpleasant smell.
Following the complaint, officials from the Food Safety Department conducted a surprise inspection of the restaurant.
The team examined several areas of the outlet, including the kitchen, storeroom, cold storage facilities and deep freezers. Officials also inspected the stock of fried chicken available at the premises.
During the inspection, authorities sealed the godown and collected chicken samples for laboratory examination.
Lab report to determine further action
Officials said the samples have been sent for testing and further action will be taken after the laboratory report is received.
The inspection is part of wider food safety enforcement efforts in Karnataka, where authorities have been conducting checks at food establishments to ensure compliance with hygiene and food storage standards.
Food safety officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of proper refrigeration, hygienic preparation and safe handling of meat products, particularly in establishments serving large numbers of customers.
The incident has also highlighted the importance of consumers reporting suspected food-quality issues to the authorities so that complaints can be investigated promptly.
The final findings in the Mangaluru case will depend on the laboratory analysis of the samples collected during the inspection.