Rotten meat, expired milk and fungal vegetables found in Bengaluru’s luxury hotels
Bengaluru’s five-star image took a hit after food safety officials uncovered expired milk, rotten vegetables, unsafe meat and other violations during a major inspection drive across the city’s premium hotels.
The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration deployed 30 teams to inspect 26 three-star and five-star hotels. Officials collected 35 food samples for laboratory testing and seized and destroyed substantial quantities of food that was found to be expired, spoiled or otherwise unfit for consumption.
The inspections uncovered not just expired food but also unhygienic kitchens, improper storage practices, fungal growth on vegetables, mislabelled products and failures to maintain separate storage for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.
Hundreds of kilos of food seized
At The Lalit Ashok (Annex South), officials seized 76 kg of meat, 200 kg of vegetables and 32 litres of expired milk.
The inspection at Radisson Blu Atria resulted in the seizure and destruction of 105 kg of expired food, including 50 kg of chicken, 25 kg of meat, 23 kg of fish and 7 kg of vegetables.
At Taj Yeshwantpur, officials seized 72 kg of meat and fish, while 19 kg of meat was recovered from Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru. Shangri-La Bengaluru had 15 kg of meat seized, and Vivanta Bengaluru Whitefield had 3 kg of expired bakery products confiscated.
Officials also found rotten onions, potatoes and other vegetables in some hotel kitchens.
Food samples sent for laboratory tests
The food safety teams collected samples of chicken, mutton, fish, milk, edible oil, spices, tea powder, cheese, tomato sauce and lemon juice for detailed laboratory analysis.
Officials said further action would depend on the test results. Notices have been issued to the concerned food business operators, while adjudication proceedings will be initiated where violations are established.
The inspections also focused on cold-storage facilities, temperature control, meat storage, segregation of raw and cooked food and measures to prevent cross-contamination.
Health minister warns hotel industry
Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader said the decision to begin the crackdown with luxury hotels was deliberate.
He argued that if premium establishments were held accountable for food safety violations, it would send a stronger message across the hospitality industry.
Khader also questioned the presence of imported meat in one hotel kitchen, including meat reportedly sourced from Denmark, and stressed that hotels must prioritise consumer safety over profits.
Crackdown to continue
The food safety department has indicated that the inspection drive will continue, with authorities expected to scrutinise more hotel kitchens, warehouses and centralised food preparation facilities.
The findings have put the spotlight on whether expensive menus and five-star kitchens necessarily translate into better food safety standards.
For Bengaluru diners, the raids have raised an uncomfortable question: what exactly is being served behind the closed doors of luxury hotel kitchens?
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