The ongoing crackdown on food safety in Bengaluru, Karnataka which began with cotton candy, has now expanded to include tea powder. The escalating concern over carcinogenic substances in food has made consumers apprehensive about what is safe. The Food Safety and Quality Department, which had previously banned artificial colours in cotton candy, gobi Manchuria, and, later, kebabs, has intensified its focus on other food items.
Recently, the department detected the presence of harmful chemicals such as sunset yellow and carmosine in various food products, leading to an immediate ban on these substances. The department has also begun targeting hotels serving substandard snacks and food. Samples from these establishments are being collected and sent to laboratories for testing under charges of poor food quality, improper hygiene, and the use of unsafe food ingredients.
The crackdown is not limited to a few restaurants. Food samples are being collected from bus stand eateries and roadside hotels, where cleanliness is often neglected. The decision to gather samples from these establishments comes after numerous complaints that the lack of hygiene is adversely affecting the health of consumers. This thorough approach is aimed at ensuring the safety of all consumers.
In the first phase of this operation, samples were taken from 760 hotels across Bengaluru, resulting in notices issued to 128 establishments lacking cleanliness. Allegations of unsafe food practices have also prompted these actions. In the second phase, food samples from over a thousand roadside hotels are being collected to ensure purity and safety standards.
Srinivas, Commissioner of the Food Safety and Quality Department, told Organiser that notices will be issued to hotels found serving unsafe food due to poor cleanliness. Even when five-star hotels are scrutinised for food safety practices, the crackdown is done. The department has decided to issue notices and take necessary actions against these high-end establishments if found guilty of serving unsafe food he added, reaffirming the department’s commitment to food safety.
