Across the state, notices were served to over 800 businesses for violations under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and on-the-spot fines totalling ₹1.21 lakh were collected.
Published Aug 04, 2025 | 10:10 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 04, 2025 | 10:10 PM
Kebabs. (iStock)
Synopsis: Karnataka’s Food Safety Division found all kebab samples from Bengaluru’s Empire Hotels unsafe due to artificial colouring, prompting legal action. Part of a statewide crackdown, over 800 eateries faced notices, with street vendors, Anganwadis, and bus stand stalls also inspected. Milk and water quality checks continue. Authorities urge compliance as public health and children’s nutrition remain top priorities.
In a startling revelation that could dent the appetite of thousands of late-night foodies, the Karnataka Food Safety Division has declared that kebab samples collected from the popular Empire Hotels chain in Bengaluru have failed food safety tests.
All six samples were found to contain unsafe artificial colouring agents, prompting the department to initiate legal proceedings.
The announcement came as part of a wider crackdown conducted throughout July 2025 by the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration, which inspected 1,557 street food vendor units, 736 restaurants, 186 bus stand food stalls, 603 Anganwadi centres, and even 1,685 high-risk food businesses through online checks.
“Six samples of Kebabs collected from Empire Hotels within the Bengaluru city limits have been analysed, and all six samples have been reported as unsafe due to the presence of artificial colouring agents. Accordingly, notices are being issued to the concerned business operators for initiating further legal action/proceedings in court,” the department said in a press release.
While Empire Hotels drew the most attention, it wasn’t the only establishment under scrutiny.
Across the state, notices were served to over 800 businesses for violations under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and on-the-spot fines totalling ₹1.21 lakh were collected.
Of the 1,557 street vendors inspected, 406 were served notices, and 1,240 vendors underwent training on hygiene and food safety. Notably, 866 street vendors were granted free registration, signalling an attempt to bring informal food businesses under regulatory oversight.
Simultaneously, the department turned its attention to government-run Anganwadi centres, where as many as 603 Anganwadis were inspected across Karnataka during July. Officers collected 545 food samples to assess the quality and hygiene of meals served to vulnerable populations, marking the exercise as one of the largest such inspections targeting children’s nutrition.
While lab results are still pending, health minister Dinesh Gundurao at a press conference confirmed to media that over 1,200 centres were brought into compliance through free registration, in a move aimed at formalising and monitoring food practices in public institutions.
“603 Anganwadi centres were inspected. 545 food samples were collected for lab analysis and the report is yet to come. Meanwhile 1,263 centres were given free registration,” explained the minister.
“It’s not just hotels and street food stalls. Food served to children and mothers in government centres needs the same, if not higher, scrutiny,” said an official from the department.
At 186 bus stands, 889 food stalls were inspected and 206 violations were recorded. In hotels and restaurants, 190 out of 736 were found flouting norms. Drinking water quality at several establishments is also under lab analysis.
A dedicated effort was made to check milk quality, with four out of 73 samples already found substandard. More tests are expected in the coming weeks.
The department also held a video conference on 30 July, with oil manufacturers, Karnataka Oil Federation, and RUCO agencies to discuss the proper disposal and collection of used cooking oil (UCO) for biodiesel production, and ensure safe trans-fat levels.
All violators, including Empire Hotels, will face legal action once laboratory confirmations are complete. Meanwhile, the department has encouraged food businesses to voluntarily follow hygiene protocols, submit samples regularly, and avoid shortcuts that compromise public health.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
