Expired rava, icing sugar, maida, bakery products and other food items were found in the kitchen of a reputed hospital on BG Road during an inspection by Karnataka’s food safety officials on Thursday, said the health department.
Expired food, stale bread found during hospital inspection
Officials found four packets of mixture and nine packets of paani puri among the expired material. The food safety team also recovered stale bread, two plastic chopping boards, five packets of methi leaves, six packets of fried gram weighing 30 kg, a 30 kg packet of green peas and five packets of moong dal weighing 30 kg.
Also read: Zepto, Indira Canteen warehouses sealed in Bengaluru over ‘unhygienic’ food handling
The findings came a day after the Food Safety Division of the Food Safety and Drug Administration inspected food establishments at Arogya Soudha, Vidhana Soudha, Legislators’ Home, Vikasa Soudha and the MS Building.
Health minister U T Khader said the inspections would not be limited to commercial establishments and would cover government premises as well. “Let it be a five-star hotel, let it be an Indira Canteen, let it be Arogya Soudha, Vidhana Soudha or any other place. For us, the place is not important. The health of the people is important,” Khader told reporters.
{{/usCountry}}Health minister U T Khader said the inspections would not be limited to commercial establishments and would cover government premises as well. “Let it be a five-star hotel, let it be an Indira Canteen, let it be Arogya Soudha, Vidhana Soudha or any other place. For us, the place is not important. The health of the people is important,” Khader told reporters.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: Karnataka Minister U T Khader warns food safety inspections will target all places
Hotel shut over unhygienic conditions
At a canteen, officials seized 500 grams each of expired suji rava and coconut powder. A Nandini parlour received an advisory notice for labelling violations, while four hotels were issued notices for various deficiencies.
One hotel was found to have unhygienic conditions, including cockroaches on the premises. Another hotel was issued an advisory notice over hygiene concerns. A hotel at the MS Building was found operating in unhygienic conditions and was closed. Khader said the department’s aim was to identify violations and ensure that establishments corrected them. “We don’t have anything against them. We want to rectify them,” he said. “People must be aware that whatever they see from outside may not be right. Multinational companies are keeping buns that are 10-15 days old. What preservatives might have been in that?” he said.