Expired meat, veggies with fungus: What officials found at 6 Bengaluru 5-star hotels

The unsafe raw food was destroyed after the FSDA, under the guidance of Health Minister U T Khader, deployed 30 teams of food safety officers and inspected 26 three-star and five-star hotels in Bengaluru, according to the food safety commissioner’s office.

“The inspections were carried out in all 3-star and 5-star hotels located within Bengaluru Urban District, including all zones under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), to verify compliance with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011,” the food safety authorities said in an official statement on Friday night.

“The inspections revealed several food safety violations, including non-compliance with FSSAI labelling requirements, improper labelling and misbranding of food products, storage of expired food products, unhygienic food handling and storage conditions, fungal growth on vegetables, and failure to maintain separate storage for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items,” the food safety commissioner said.

Lalit Ashok clarified in a statement that the observations regarding meat and frozen food products concerned their storage and segregation. “The products in question were frozen and were not found to be spoiled or unfit for consumption. Similarly, the milk referred to in certain reports was one day beyond its ‘Best Before’ date. It had already been identified for withdrawal from use and was not intended to be served to guests,” the hotel said in a statement.

“The Lalit Ashok Bengaluru takes food safety, hygiene and quality standards with utmost seriousness. The safety and well-being of our guests remain our highest priority, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of food safety and operational excellence,” it added.

Chicken to cheese: Food samples collected

Among the food samples collected for laboratory testing were tea powder, chicken, mutton, fish, edible oil, chilli powder, turmeric powder, tomato sauce, lemon juice, cheese, papad, cashew nuts, ginger, pepper powder, spice powder, and milk.

The major violations found during the food safety inspection were “unhygienic conditions in kitchens and food storage areas, meat products not labelled in accordance with FSSAI requirements, storage of expired milk products, bakery products, chicken, fish, meat, and vegetables.”

Further action against the defaulting establishments will be taken based on the laboratory analysis reports and the applicable provisions of the Act, the food safety commissioner said.

Last week, the FSDA had issued an advisory to restrict the sale of food products high in fat, sugar, and salt around schools and colleges in the state. The advisory came after inspections of food business establishments located around 134 schools and colleges in Karnataka.

The FSDA department is attached to the Karnataka health and family welfare ministry.