The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has taken action against several leading five-star hotels in Bengaluru after inspections uncovered multiple food safety and hygiene violations.
The department deployed 30 food safety teams to inspect 26 three-star and five-star hotels across Bengaluru Urban District as part of a major food safety compliance drive.
More Than 500 Kg of Food Products Destroyed
During the inspections, officials seized and destroyed significant quantities of food products that were found to be expired, improperly stored or otherwise in violation of food safety requirements.
The action covered six prominent hotels:
- Lalit Ashok Bengaluru: 76 kg of meat, 200 kg of vegetables and 32 litres of expired milk
- Shangri-La Bengaluru: 15 kg of meat
- Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru: 19 kg of meat
- Vivanta Bengaluru Whitefield: 3 kg of expired bakery products
- Taj Yeshwantpur: 72 kg of meat and fish
- Radisson Blu Bengaluru: 50 kg of chicken, 25 kg of meat, 23 kg of fish and 7 kg of vegetables
Officials also reported fungal growth on vegetables, along with concerns over kitchen hygiene, food storage and product labelling.
Multiple Food Safety Violations Detected
According to the Karnataka FSDA, inspections found several violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and related regulations.
The reported violations included:
- Storage of expired food products
- Improper food labelling and misbranding
- Non-compliance with FSSAI labelling requirements
- Unhygienic kitchen and food storage conditions
- Fungal growth on vegetables
- Improper storage of meat products
- Failure to maintain separate storage for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items
The authorities also found meat products that were not labelled in accordance with applicable FSSAI requirements.
Food Samples Sent for Laboratory Testing
The FSDA collected several food samples for detailed laboratory analysis. The samples included chicken, mutton, fish, milk, cheese, edible oil, chilli powder, turmeric powder, tomato sauce, lemon juice, tea powder, papad, cashew nuts, ginger and various spice products.
Officials said further action against the establishments will depend on the laboratory test results and applicable provisions of food safety law.
Lalit Ashok Responds
Lalit Ashok Bengaluru clarified that the observations involving meat and frozen food products related to storage and segregation, stating that the products were frozen and were not found to be spoiled or unfit for consumption.
The hotel also said the milk mentioned in reports was one day beyond its Best Before date, had already been identified for withdrawal and was not intended to be served to guests.
The hotel reiterated its commitment to food safety, hygiene and quality standards.
Further Action Expected
The latest inspections highlight the importance of strict food storage, labelling, hygiene and segregation practices even in high-end hospitality establishments.
The Karnataka FSDA said further enforcement action will be taken after laboratory reports are received, based on the findings and provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
The inspection drive comes shortly after Karnataka authorities issued an advisory restricting the sale of food products high in fat, sugar and salt around schools and colleges following inspections of food businesses near 134 educational institutions across the state.
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