Bengaluru's Empire chicken kebabs fail food safety test, restaurant chain faces action: Report

According to the lab report dated July 11, the kebabs failed to comply with the safety norms outlined in the Food Product Standards & Food Additives Regulations

Bengaluru's famed restaurant chain, Empire, is under fire after its chicken kebabs from the Gandhinagar outlet were found to be unsafe for consumption, according to a report by NDTV.

Bengaluru's popular Empire kebabs fail the safety test by food department. (Pexels)

Kebabs failed to to comply with the safety norms

The controversy erupted after the State Food Laboratory at the Public Health Institute tested food samples collected during a routine inspection by Food Safety Officer Ambarish Gowda on June 27. Gowda had collected four 500-gram packets, totalling 2 kilograms, of chicken kebabs from Empire’s Anand Rao Circle branch.

According to the lab report dated July 11, the kebabs failed to comply with the safety norms outlined in the Food Product Standards & Food Additives Regulations, 2011. As a result, the food was officially deemed “unsafe for human consumption” under provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Following this, the BBMP’s Food Safety and Drug Administration (North Zone) issued a formal notice to the outlet, giving it 30 days to respond to the findings. The restaurant has also been informed of its right to seek a second round of testing at the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysuru, at its own cost.

Responding to the situation, Empire Group CEO Shakir told NDTV, “We have received the notice from FSSAI. While we won’t be commenting on the specific details of the case, I can confirm that we have discontinued the use of food colouring in our kebabs. We always make sure that our quality is never compromised under any circumstances”

The food safety violation has sparked concern given the restaurant’s popularity across Bengaluru, especially for its late-night dining options and signature kebabs.