Expired meat, rotten vegetables found at Bengaluru's luxury hotels, legal action begins

Expired milk, rotten meat, fungal growth on vegetables and other alleged food safety violations were found during surprise inspections at several premium properties, including Taj Yeshwantpur, Shangri-La Bengaluru, The Lalit Ashok and Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru.

Following the findings, Karnataka's Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) has initiated legal proceedings against the establishments where violations were detected.

30 teams inspect 26 premium hotels

The statewide inspection drive targeted 26 three-star and five-star hotels across Bengaluru Urban district.

Thirty teams of Food Safety Officers carried out inspections across all Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) zones to assess compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations.

Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader said the exercise was aimed at ensuring that even the state's top hospitality establishments adhere to food safety and hygiene norms.

Expired food, unhygienic kitchens among violations

According to officials, inspections revealed multiple violations across several hotels.

These included:

• Expired food products
• Unhygienic kitchens and storage areas
• Fungal growth on vegetables
• Improper food handling practices
• Misbranded food products
• Violations of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) labelling norms
• Failure to maintain separate storage areas for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items

Officials collected 35 food samples—including chicken, mutton, fish, edible oil, milk, spices, tea powder, cheese, tomato sauce and lemon juice—for laboratory analysis. Further action will depend on the test results.

Food seized from leading hotels

The inspection teams seized and destroyed large quantities of food deemed expired or unsafe for consumption.

Among the recoveries:

• The Lalit Ashok (Annex South): 76 kg of meat, 200 kg of vegetables and 32 litres of expired milk destroyed.
• Shangri-La Bengaluru: 15 kg of meat seized.
• Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru: 19 kg of meat confiscated.
• Vivanta Bengaluru Whitefield: 3 kg of expired bakery products destroyed.
• Taj Yeshwantpur: 72 kg of meat and fish seized.
• Radisson Blu (The Atria): 105 kg of expired food items destroyed, including 50 kg of chicken, 25 kg of meat, 23 kg of fish and 7 kg of vegetables.

Legal proceedings initiated

The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department has issued notices to the concerned Food Business Operators and said legal proceedings will be initiated wherever violations are established.

The department also directed all hotels and food businesses to strictly comply with food safety regulations, warning that stringent action would be taken against establishments found violating prescribed standards.