A special food safety inspection drive across Bengaluru’s upscale hotels has uncovered a series of violations, including fungal growth on vegetables, expired milk and improper storage of food products, authorities said.
The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department inspected 26 three-star and five-star hotels across the city on Friday, August 7. Thirty teams of food safety officers carried out inspections across all zones under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
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The inspections found several lapses in kitchen hygiene and food storage practices. Officials reported finding expired food products, improperly stored items and vegetables and other food articles affected by fungal growth.
Expired milk, meat and vegetables seized
Officials found expired milk and other dairy and bakery products, along with chicken, fish, meat and vegetables, stored at some of the hotels.
At The Lalit Ashok (Annex South), officials seized 76 kg of meat and 200 kg of vegetables. They also found and destroyed 32 litres of expired milk.
At Shangri-La Bengaluru, 15 kg of meat was seized, while Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru had 19 kg of meat seized during the inspection.
Officials also seized 3 kg of expired bakery products from Vivanta Bengaluru Whitefield and 72 kg of meat from Taj Yeshwantpur.
The largest seizure was reported at The Radisson Blu (The Atria), where officials seized 105 kg of expired food products. The seized items included 50 kg of chicken, 23 kg of meat, 7 kg of fish and 25 kg of vegetables.
Vegetarian, non-vegetarian food not separated
The inspection teams also identified problems with food handling and labelling.
In some hotels, vegetarian and non-vegetarian food was reportedly not being stored separately. Officials also found instances of improper labelling, food misbranding and violations of mandatory Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) labelling requirements.
Such practices can create concerns over food identification, storage and cross-contamination, particularly in large commercial kitchens handling different types of products.
35 food samples sent for testing
During the inspection drive, officials collected 35 food samples and sent them to the Food Laboratory for analysis.
The samples included tea powder, chicken, mutton, fish, edible oil, chilli powder, turmeric powder, tomato sauce, lemon juice, cheese, papad, cashew nuts, ginger, pepper powder, spice mixes and milk.
The department issued notices to the hotels where violations were detected. Further action will be taken based on the laboratory findings and relevant provisions of food safety law, officials said.
Bengaluru inspections amid wider crackdown
The inspections in Bengaluru come amid increased scrutiny of food safety standards at restaurants, hotels and other eateries in several parts of India.
In Maharashtra, the Food and Drug Administration has also intensified inspections in recent weeks, with action taken against restaurants and clubs over alleged food safety violations, including expired products and unhygienic conditions.
The Bengaluru drive highlights the importance of maintaining proper storage temperatures, checking expiry dates, separating food categories and following mandatory labelling and hygiene standards — particularly at establishments serving large numbers of customers.
