Food safety inspections: K’taka Minister says govt to issue guidelines soon

Bengaluru, Aug 26 (IANS) A special food safety inspection drive was conducted at eight prominent clubs in Bengaluru, and notices were issued for unhygienic and unsafe kitchen conditions, the official statement said on Wednesday, following directions from Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader.

Addressing media in Bengaluru, the Minister for Health, Minority Welfare and Waqf said inspections were conducted at several hotels, canteens and clubs.

He said the government had reminded club managements that their priority should be maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in kitchens rather than focusing on whether people entering the premises were wearing pants, lungis, shoes or slippers. Owners, secretaries and management should focus on kitchen hygiene and food safety rather than such issues, he underlined.

The government will release specific guidelines regarding maintaining hygiene and safety in kitchens, he added.

The statement said officials from the Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department carried out inspections on Tuesday night at clubs in Bengaluru city and within the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits. The inspections were conducted under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011.

The clubs inspected were Bowring Club, Century Club, KSCA Club, Catholic Club, Tennis Club, Vijayanagara Club, Mahalakshmi Layout Club and Malleswaram Club.

The inspection report lists the following violations:

At Bowring Club, officials found unhygienic conditions in the food-storage area, along with a cockroach infestation. A notice was issued.

At Century Club, officials found a cockroach infestation and unhygienic conditions in the food‑storage area. A notice was issued.

At Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Club, violations included poor personal hygiene, use of plastic cutting boards, a blocked drainage system and food‑labelling violations. Officials also found deficiencies in cleanliness in the frozen‑storage area, improper storage of vegetarian and non‑vegetarian food products, and a lack of hot water in the utensil‑washing area. A notice was issued.

At Catholic Club, officials found food‑labelling violations, cockroach infestation and deficiencies in cleanliness and sanitation. Officials also found ten packets of expired mushroom products. A notice was issued.

At Tennis Club, officials found that food‑handling staff lacked required medical certificates. A notice was issued.

At Vijayanagara Club, officials found violations in food labelling and deficiencies in cleanliness and sanitation. A notice was issued.

At Mahalakshmi Layout Club, deficiencies in food labelling, cleanliness and sanitation were found. A notice was issued.

At Malleswaram Club, officials found a cockroach infestation, deficiencies in cleanliness and sanitation, and problems related to food storage. A notice was issued.

During the inspections, officials also collected samples of drinking water and used cooking oil. They sent the samples to a government food laboratory for analysis.

The department said that after receiving the laboratory test reports, it would take further action based on the findings and in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the relevant rules.

The Commissioner, Food Safety and Drugs Administration, issued the inspection report.

Minister Khader said food safety and hygiene should be the priority. He noted that during verification and inspections at various locations, he found lapses. These issues would be discussed in detail, and clear instructions would be issued on how hotels and clubs should operate, maintain clean kitchens, and store food items safely without exposing them to hazards.

He added that all heads of the respective associations would receive three days of training on this. They would be required to abide by the guidelines and follow them strictly.

“The matter will be discussed in detail, and clear‑cut instructions will be handed over to the owners and heads of the establishments. The government has decided to implement these measures,” he said.

–IANS

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