A Bengaluru pub has been shut down and several other eateries are facing legal action after food safety inspections uncovered rotten and fungus-infested meat, expired dairy products and improperly stored food. The latest inspections are part of an intensified citywide crackdown on food safety violations.
The action comes days after authorities inspected several star hotels in Bengaluru and reported multiple food safety lapses.
At Skyye Lounge, a pub located inside the UB City luxury mall, officials found unhygienic conditions in the kitchen and ordered the establishment to close. Rotten chicken and beef were reportedly found inside, with fungus growing on the meat.
Officials also discovered milk and curd that had expired around 10 days earlier. In total, 51 kg of food items were deemed unfit for consumption and discarded or destroyed according to procedure. This included 45 kg of rotten chicken and beef and 6 kg of vegetable cutlets. Another 15 litres of used cooking oil was also disposed of.
Several other hotels and eateries were also found with food items that were seized or discarded during the inspections.
At Royal Chain Hotel, officials seized 50 kg of duck and 5 kg of fish, taking the total quantity seized there to 55 kg. Madras Kitchen had 5 kg of green peas seized, while officials recovered 5 kg of mushrooms from Tescon Hotel.
At Senchez Hotel, 3 kg of fish was seized, while another 7 kg of food items, including cake, potatoes and tacos, were discarded.
Officials also inspected food storage and distribution centres operated by Coldman Logistics and Radhakrishna Foodland, which supply products to several prominent hotels in Bengaluru.
During the inspections, around 70 kg of soy sauce and other sauces that were nearing their expiry dates were found and seized. The teams also collected five meat samples and 13 other food samples for laboratory analysis.
Around 10 litres of beverages, including strawberry-flavoured drinks and other beverages approaching their expiry dates, were also confiscated.
The inspections were conducted as part of a special drive launched by the Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department to examine food storage facilities operated by food businesses across Bengaluru Urban district and BBMP zones.
The department deployed 30 teams consisting of Designated Officers and Food Safety Officers for the campaign. On August 8, the teams inspected storage facilities across Bengaluru that supply food products, mutton and fish to national and international hotels and other catering establishments.
Officials examined storage conditions, the quality of food products and the safety measures being followed at the facilities.
The department said legal action would be initiated against food business operators found violating food safety and quality requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
