Bengaluru, Sep 4 (PTI) Expired food articles were seized during inspections conducted at 23 paying guest accomodations across the city on Friday and noticies were issued to them, officials said.
A total
of 64 PGs were visited and inspected during the special drive, which was conducted as per the directions of Minister for Health and Family Welfare, U T Khader, they said.
The inspections were carried out by the teams of Food Safety and Drug Administration department in view of the widespread complaints being received from the public regarding poor quality of food being served in PGs and lack of hygiene, officials said.
According to the department, during the inspections, various food safety aspects were examined as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 and Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, including the method of preparation and storage of food articles.
In a statement, Srinivas K, Commissioner, Food Safety and Drug Administration department said that in view of the deficiencies in hygiene and violations of food safety regulations, notices were issued to a total of 23 PGs.
With the objective of examining the quality of food and compliance with food safety standards, a total of 12 food samples were collected and sent for laboratory analysis, he said.
According to him, in some PGs, expired curd, Bisibele bath powder, rice flour, synthetic food colour, black pepper and misbranded mixture were found to be in use, and such food articles were seized as per the provisions of law.
“During the inspection of Nandana Elite PG, Bommasandra, Bed bugs powder was found kept on the dining table along with food articles. Further, unused/non-food-related materials were found stored in an area where drinking water facilities were provided, along with overall unhygienic conditions. In view of these violations, the dining area was sealed,” the Commissioner said.
The department said that all PG owners and persons engaged in handling food have been instructed to strictly comply with the rules relating to food safety and hygiene.
It has also directed that food articles shall be stored safely, quality raw materials shall be used, proper hygiene shall be maintained in kitchens and food preparation areas, and expired food articles shall not be used or distributed under any circumstances.
The department also warned that in case of any violation of food safety regulations, appropriate legal action will be initiated as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Rules/Regulations made thereunder.
Meanwhile, the department also conducted an inspection of the pantry of the cabinet hall at Vidhana Soudha during the Cabinet meeting on September 3 at 11 am.
The inspection covered checking of cleanliness, food storage safety, food quality and inventory management.
The team checked that the floors, shelves, corners, and appliances were clean and free of dust and ensured sinks and drainage systems functioned properly without water leaks.
“Verified all items are clearly labelled with manufacturing and expiry dates and inspected for signs of pests, rodents, or droppings,” the department said in its statement. PTI AMP KH
