Food Safety Shock In Bengaluru: Expired Ingredients, Stale Bread Found In Private Hospital Kitchen

The Karnataka Health Department has detected expired food ingredients and other raw materials in the kitchen of a private hospital in Bengaluru during a food safety inspection, officials said.

During the inspection, officials found several expired items stored in containers, including rava, icing sugar, maida and bakery products. Four packets of mixture and nine packets of paani puri were also found to be past their expiry date, they said.

The food safety team additionally seized stale bread and identified two plastic chopping boards. Among the other items found were five packets of methi leaves, six 30-kg packets of fried gram, a 30-kg packet of green peas and five 30-kg packets of moong dal.

Earlier on Thursday, Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader said food safety checks would be conducted across establishments without distinction, emphasising that safeguarding public health was the priority.

His statement came as officials from the Food Safety Division of the Food Safety and Drug Administration conducted inspections at multiple establishments in Bengaluru, including the hospital kitchen.

The inspections were undertaken following the minister's directions to assess compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.

The department has directed food business operators to adhere strictly to the prescribed regulations and warned that violations would invite stringent action.