Rotten meat, fungus-hit veggies: Bengaluru’s luxury hotels face action over food safety violations

Several luxury hotels in Bengaluru have come under scrutiny after food safety officials detected multiple violations during a special inspection drive across 26 hotels, including alleged unhygienic storage, fungal growth on vegetables and improper segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.

The Food Safety Wing of Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) reportedly seized rotten meat, chicken and fish, along with expired bakery products, during inspections of three-star and five-star hotels.

Officials found several violations, including non-compliance with FSSAI labelling norms, improper labelling and misbranding, storage of expired food products, and unhygienic food handling and storage practices.

Notices have been issued to the concerned food business operators, with adjudication proceedings under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, set to follow.

Food samples sent for testing

Officials collected samples of several food products, including tea powder, chicken, mutton, fish, edible oil, chilli and turmeric powder, tomato sauce, lemon juice, cheese, papad, cashews, ginger, pepper and other spice powders, as well as milk.

The Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department had formed 30 special teams to conduct surprise inspections at hotels, restaurants and food outlets in Bengaluru and other parts of the state following a rise in complaints about food quality, hygiene and safety.

The inspection drive was launched on the directions of Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader after complaints from the public, including posts on social media alleging unhygienic practices and the sale of substandard food.

Hotels under scrutiny

According to the Food Safety and Drug Administration, the following hotels were among those where violations were detected:

• The Lalit Ashok (Annex South): 32 litres of expired milk, 76 kg of meat and 200 kg of vegetables seized.
• Shangri-La Bengaluru: 15 kg of meat seized.
• Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru: 19 kg of meat seized.
• Vivanta Bengaluru Whitefield: 3 kg of expired bakery products seized.
• Taj Yeshwantpur: 72 kg of meat and fish seized.
• Radisson Blu (The Atrium): 105 kg of expired food articles seized, including 50 kg of chicken, 25 kg of meat, 23 kg of fish and 7 kg of vegetables.

The inspections come amid growing concerns over food safety in Karnataka, with social media users in recent months sharing allegations of unhygienic kitchen conditions, poor food handling and the use of artificial colours in dishes such as gobi manchurian and kebabs.

The state government had conducted a similar enforcement campaign last year under “Operation Eat Right” following reports of food poisoning and the use of artificial colouring. Several hotels and food establishments were inspected during that drive, with notices and penalties issued for violations of food safety standards.