Food safety violations found at hotels and canteens in railway stations across Karnataka

Food safety violations discovered at hotels and canteens in railway stations throughout Karnataka The inspections were carried out with a focus on food quality, storage, labelling and hygiene practices.

Key points

• At some food preparation units at Mysuru Railway Station, idlis were reportedly being prepared using plastic material.
• Unsavoury findings: Among the violations detected, samosas were stored in cardboard boxes and prepared vadas were placed on newspapers.
• Food safety authorities and designated officers inspected the hotels, canteens, food stalls, pantry cars, food preparation units and other establishments operating on railway premises.
• While some establishments were using newspapers to pack food served to consumers, chutney was stored in plastic buckets not meant for food employ.
• The department remarked the railway authorities and the designated officers concerned will be informed concerning the violations and further legal action will be initiated.

Unsavoury findings: Among the violations detected, samosas were stored in cardboard boxes and prepared vadas were placed on newspapers. Photo Credit: Image for representation.

For context, a special food safety inspection drive at hotels, canteens, and other food establishments at railway stations throughout Karnataka identified a number of violations, including improper storage and handling of food, the apply of newspapers for packing and serving food, suspected employ of non-permitted colours, and the sale of expired food products.

Meanwhile, the drive, conducted by the Food Safety Division of the Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department on Thursday, covered 112 hotels, canteens, and food establishments in 36 railway stations throughout the State. Food safety authorities and designated officers inspected the hotels, canteens, food stalls, pantry cars, food preparation units and other establishments operating on railway premises.

For context, the inspections were carried out under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the related rules and regulations, with a focus on food quality, storage, labelling and hygiene practices.

While some establishments were using newspapers to pack food served to consumers, chutney was stored in plastic buckets not meant for food employ. Inspectors additionally identified packets of savouries without mandatory labelling details. In some establishments, the food business registration certificate was not displayed prominently.

Authorities additionally suspected the employ of non-permitted colours in food products. Yellow colouring was discovered in jalebi and pink colouring in khoa peda. Expired packets of Nandini curd and Dodla standardised milk were additionally identified at a railway station in Haveri district.

At some food preparation units at Mysuru Railway Station, idlis were reportedly being prepared using plastic material. Chapati packets without the required labelling information were additionally identified to be on sale. Fungal expansion was observed on onions and vegetables.

Meanwhile, an unhygienic food establishment was discovered at K.R. While the sale of expired food products was detected at a number of other establishments, puram Railway Station.

Notably, the department remarked the railway authorities and the designated officers concerned will be informed concerning the violations and further legal action will be initiated.

For now, food safety violations found at hotels and canteens in railway stations across remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.