Karnataka Tightens Food Safety Crackdown; State Health Minister Says ‘Health Is Priority’

The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration since the past several days has launched a comprehensive state-wide food safety crackdown over concerns of food habits and their long-term implication on public health. The crackdown includes recent raids at posh hotels and quick commerce platforms like Blinkit and Zepto.

"Our main objective is to make Karnataka a healthy state," Khader said, as reported by NDTV.

The state government aims to address widespread public concerns regarding adulteration and unsafe chemical additives in everyday consumer goods. The drive targets both established commercial brands and unorganised food vendors operating within the state limits.

What Did Karnataka Food Safety Inspections Find?

Food safety officers have deployed across the state to conduct surprise raids at retail outlets and production facilities. These inspectors are actively collecting samples of instant noodles, energy drinks and street food items for immediate analysis. The heightened regulatory scrutiny follows a major nationwide intervention by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

What Did UT Khader Say?

Speaking to NDTV, Khader said that he wants to make Karnataka healthy. "As a Health Minister, when we review the situation, we see a lot of diseases. Food habits are a major concern. Our intention is to address this on health grounds and make Karnataka healthier again," he said.

Khader said the government specifically chose five star hotels and premium establishments to send wide message to the food industry. He revealed that certain findings were concerning, as the officials found rotten mutton and expired chicken and milk.

"We thought we should start from the top. We went to good corporate hotels and establishments which are known as premium hotels," he said, adding, "I am not concerned about the hotel or the warehouse. I am concerned about the people. The health of the people is important.”

Karnataka Expands Food Safety Checks

Karnataka Food Safety Department task force raided a Zepto dark store in Bengaluru on Tuesday, uncovering major sanitation failures. Inspectors discovered extremely unhygienic conditions, including pest activity and improper food handling. The food safety department issued an official improvement notice to Zepto following the inspection. The platform received a 15-day window to rectify all violations at the Bengaluru facility.

Meanwhile, the warehouses of an Indira Canteen in Gottigere were sealed after officials found "unhygienic" food handling and storage conditions during an inspection drive on Tuesday. The Food Safety and Drug Administration department inspected three kitchens of Indira canteens here through which the government serves highly subsidised food, officials said, as per PTI.

Indira Canteens are the Congress government’s flagship initiatives which were started by former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during his previous stint from 2013 to 2018.

According to officials, the searches were conducted at three Indira Canteens at Gottigere and Singasandra in Bengaluru South and Lingarajapuram in Bengaluru North by a special team to inspect the quality, safety, storage, labelling and food handling practices at the main kitchens/food preparation units of these canteens, in accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011, and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.