India
oi-Swastika Sruti
Not great quality food is something that we Indians are already dealing with, but cockroaches and rats are a new normal. In the latest update, Food Safety authorities across India have stepped up inspections of restaurants, hotels, quick commerce warehouse and packaged food companies amid growing concerns over hygiene, storage and labelling practices.
Indian food safety authorities have intensified inspections of restaurants, hotels, and quick commerce sites like KFC, Pizza Hut, Blinkit, and Zepto due to hygiene concerns, leading to sealed premises, suspended licenses, and seizures of expired products in cities including Bengaluru and Mumbai.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and state food regulators have taken action against several establishments, including issuing notices, suspending licences, sealing premises and restricting the sale of products found to be non-compliant.
Recent inspections have also brought major names such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Blinkit, Zepto and several luxury hotels under scrutiny.
KFC Outlet In Mangaluru Sealed After Chicken Complaint
In another incident a KFC outlet in Mangaluru came under the scanner after a customer complained about receiving chicken that allegedly had a foul smell. Following the complaint, food safety officials inspected the outlet at City Centre Mall on KS Rao Road.
The inspection covered the kitchen, storage area and cold-storage facilities. The outlet’s godown was sealed as authorities investigated the complaint. Food samples were collected and sent for laboratory testing. The final findings will determine whether the food supplied to the customer violated safety standards.
The safety officials also found large quantities of expired meat and other food products in several hotels in Mysuru. Officials seized around 9 kg of expired chicken from the three-star Rio Meridian Hotel, while another 68 kg of meat was recovered from the Grand Mercure Hotel.
Around 4 kg of mushrooms was also seized from the three-star Q Star Hotel. The inspections were part of a wider effort to check food storage and handling practices at hotels and restaurants.
Zepto Warehouse Sealed In Bengaluru
A Zepto warehouse in Hoskote, eastern Bengaluru, was also inspected over alleged violations related to food labelling, handling and storage. The facility was subsequently sealed by the state’s food safety department.
Authorities have been paying particular attention to quick-commerce warehouses because these facilities store a large variety of food products that are delivered to customers within a short period.
Luxury Hotels Face Food Safety Scrutiny
Several luxury hotels in Bengaluru have also faced inspections over alleged hygiene violations.
Food safety officials reportedly found issues including improper storage, fungal growth on vegetables and inadequate separation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items.
During inspections of 26 hotels, including three-star and five-star properties, officials reportedly seized rotten meat, chicken and fish along with expired bakery products.
The inspections are aimed at ensuring that hotels follow prescribed standards for food preparation, storage, temperature control and hygiene.
Rat Found Inside Blinkit Ice Cream Freezer
In one of the Blinkit outlets in Thane, Maharashtra, a video showed rats running inside an ice cream freezer at a Blinkit store in the Kalyan area. The incident triggered concerns over hygiene standards at quick-commerce storage and delivery facilities.
The case came amid a broader inspection drive by Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) covering chain restaurants and food establishments.
Maharashtra FDA Inspects Over 100 Chain Restaurants
These inspections were carried out in 104 chain restaurants by the Maharashtra FDA in its food safety drive.
The Department said that two outlets have been closed down while 95 have been served with notices for improvement and licences of five others have been revoked.
There were several parameters under which these inspections were carried out. These included food storage, sanitation, pest control, temperature regulation and other food safety rules.
Pizza Hut Outlet Faces Action Over Labelling
These inspections were carried out in 104 chain restaurants by the Maharashtra FDA in its food safety drive.
The Department said that two outlets have been closed down while 95 have been served with notices for improvement and licences of five others have been revoked.
There were several parameters under which these inspections were carried out. These included food storage, sanitation, pest control, temperature regulation and other food safety rules.
11 Food Business Licences Suspended In Mumbai And Nashik
In Mumbai and Nashik, the Maharashtra FDA suspended 11 food business licences following inspections that revealed alleged violations involving hygiene, storage, water supply, ventilation, equipment and pest control.
The department also issued 54 improvement notices after inspecting 120 establishments.
In separate raids, officials seized around 5,343 kg of substandard dairy products, edible oil and spices, estimated to be worth approximately ₹9.81 lakh.
Authorities also carried out operations against banned food products, leading to arrests, sealing of establishments and seizure of stocks.
