Karnataka’s food safety department has stepped up unannounced inspections across the state, clamping down on popular fast-food chains, star-rated hotels, and commercial kitchens for basic hygiene and storage violations. In coastal Mangaluru, enforcement officials raided a KFC outlet inside the City Centre Mall on KS Rao Road after a customer flagged receiving rotten, foul-smelling chicken in an online food delivery order. During the surprise check, inspectors went through the kitchen and cold storage facilities, promptly locking up and sealing the outlet's storage room. Food samples were collected on the spot and dispatched to forensic food testing laboratories, with authorities warning that formal legal proceedings will be initiated once the chemical analysis reports arrive.
At the same time, inspection teams in Mysuru caught several high-end hospitality venues cutting corners on food safety standards. Officials seized nine kilograms of expired chicken from the Rio Meridian Hotel and confiscated another sixty-eight kilograms of improperly preserved meat from the Grand Mercure Hotel. The checks also uncovered four kilograms of rotten mushrooms at Q Star Hotel, while wider raids across holiday resorts in Mysuru and Nanjangud taluks led to official show-cause notices and the on-the-spot destruction of over sixteen kilograms of stale and perishable supplies.
These coordinated raids in Mangaluru and Mysuru come on the heels of similar strict crackdowns across Bengaluru, where officials recently shut down a quick-commerce dark store over serious labeling lapses and issued notices to dozens of three-star and five-star kitchens for stocking rotting meat, expired dairy, and substandard vegetables. Food safety authorities have made it clear that regular inspections will continue unabated, warning that any commercial kitchen compromising on public health will face immediate shutdowns and strict legal action.