BENGALURU: In a significant expansion of its food safety crackdown, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday inspected government establishments and found expired food products and unhygienic storage conditions at the canteen of Arogya Soudha, the headquarters of Karnataka’s health department.FDA officials found expired idli rava and coconut powder at the canteen on Magadi Road. They also observed that food products were not stored in accordance with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines and that adequate pest-control measures had not been carried out.The department issued a notice to the canteen, FDA commissioner Srinivas K said.In another action, FDA officials sealed a canteen at Vikasa Soudha and ordered the closure of Mallige Ootada Mane, a restaurant on the premises of the Vidhana Soudha complex, after finding cockroaches in the kitchen and inadequate pest-control measures.The inspections are part of an intensified food safety drive in Bengaluru that has widened beyond roadside eateries and restaurants to include government facilities, star hotels, warehouses and food preparation units.On Tuesday, FDA sealed a Zepto warehouse operated by Nippon Express in Hoskote taluk of Bengaluru Rural after finding non-compliant labelling, misbranding and unhygienic food handling and storage conditions.The department also inspected a Hyperpure by Zomato unit at Sakalawara as part of the crackdown on major food supply-chain operators. The facility, which supplies food and other products to several hotels, was found to have lapses related to labelling, licensing and storage, though officials said the premises were clean and tidy.During the inspection, officials found 146kg of chicken for which the manufacturer’s FSSAI licence number was unavailable. Another 40kg of garlic had been sourced from a manufacturer whose FSSAI licence was not in force, officials said.The team also found alleged mislabelling on 300kg of rice, 20kg of dry fruits and 15kg of masala in packed products. In addition, 10kg of imported radish pickle was not stored in a refrigerated area as required by its labelling conditions.The FDA collected 40 samples from the Hyperpure unit, including five legal samples and 35 survey samples, for examination. A notice was issued to the Zomato Hyperpure unit and further legal action will be taken as per the prescribed provisions, officials said.The FDA also sealed the central kitchen of an Indira Canteen at Gottigere on Tuesday after finding unhygienic food handling and storage conditions. Inspections were conducted at food preparation units in Gottigere, Lingarajapuram and Singasandra, with notices issued to all three operators over violations including non-compliant labelling, misbranding and poor hygiene.Officials collected samples of pulses, turmeric powder, cooking oil, jaggery, salt, sugar and prepared food items for laboratory analysis.The inspections are part of an intensified food safety drive across Bengaluru, which has expanded from roadside eateries and darshinis to star hotels, restaurants, warehouses and government food facilities.FDA commissioner Srinivas K said the department would inspect establishments involved in food preparation, storage and manufacturing. “We’ll go everywhere there is food, cooking or manufacturing,” he said.The FDA has said strict legal action will be taken against food business operators found violating food safety regulations.
