Bengaluru: Karnataka is preparing to introduce QR codes outside hotels and pharmacies so customers can directly report food safety and hygiene problems.
Health Minister UT Khader said people will be able to scan the code and file complaints on the spot, giving consumers a faster route to flag stale food, dirty kitchens or other safety concerns.
The move comes after a series of inspections across five-star hotels, restaurants, food chains and public facilities in the state. Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration has seized more than 1,000 kg of unsafe food items in recent operations and issued notices to several establishments over hygiene and storage violations.
How Karnataka’s food complaint QR code will work
The QR codes will be placed outside hotels and pharmacies. Customers who notice poor food quality or unhygienic conditions will be able to scan the code and submit a complaint directly.
Khader said Karnataka would be the first state to introduce such a system.
The state also plans to expand inspections beyond hotels. Private hostels, paying guest facilities, bus stops, wedding halls, railway canteens and food served on flights are expected to come under closer checks.
Recent inspections found expired food and poor storage
FDA inspections have already uncovered several violations.
In Mysuru, officials seized expired chicken, meat and mushrooms from multiple hotels. In Mangaluru, a KFC outlet on KS Rao Road was inspected after a customer complained that a Chicken Peri Peri Leg ordered online tasted stale.
Checks at hotels in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mangaluru reportedly found expired products, rotten vegetables, fungal contamination and improper meat storage.
Food outlets inside Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and Arogya Soudha were also cited for problems including poor handling, pest control failures and expired ingredients.
Khader said notices have been issued to 60 hotels, with 15 responding so far. A dedicated watch team is also planned as Karnataka widens its food safety drive.
