Zepto warehouse sealed in Bengaluru over food safety violations

Bengaluru's food safety crackdown widened on Tuesday, with officials sealing a Zepto warehouse in Hoskote taluk after finding alleged violations including non-compliant labelling, misbranding and unhygienic food handling and storage, TOI reported.

The warehouse, operated by Nippon Express, was inspected by the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department as part of a special drive conducted on August 11 under the guidance of Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader.

The Food Safety Wing inspected the facility for compliance with requirements covering food quality, safety, storage, labelling and handling under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations.


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The report, citing officials, said the warehouse was sealed in view of the unhygienic handling and storage conditions. A notice was issued to the facility, while the department recommended filing a case before the competent Adjudicating Officer for further legal action.

Zepto said it fully cooperated with authorities during the inspection and had taken note of the observations and suggestions shared, adding that it is taking the necessary steps to address them.

“Routine food safety inspections are conducted by authorities across the country as part of their regular oversight,” a Zepto spokesperson said, adding that the company remained committed to continuously strengthening its processes and maintaining high standards of food safety and hygiene.

Separately, Bengaluru North City Corporation imposed a Rs 25,000 penalty on Zepto in Thanisandra for allegedly failing to maintain cleanliness at the location.

The action against Zepto comes amid stepped-up food safety inspections across Bengaluru following complaints related to food quality, hygiene and unsafe practices.

The Food Safety Wing recently deployed 30 teams to inspect 26 three-star and five-star hotels, collecting 35 food samples for laboratory testing. Officials found expired food products, improper labelling, unhygienic storage, fungal growth on vegetables and inadequate segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.

During inspections on Sunday, more than 100 kg of food articles and 15 litres of used cooking oil were seized or discarded from six hotels. Officials also found 45 kg of rotten chicken and beef and 6 kg of vegetable cutlets at one establishment, while another had 50 kg of duck and 5 kg of fish. Expired milk and curd packets and meat showing fungal growth were also found.

The latest action against Zepto comes against the backdrop of similar food safety enforcement in other parts of the country. In Maharashtra, the Food and Drug Administration recently suspended the food licence of a Blink Commerce facility in Mumbai over extensive cockroach infestation and improper food storage.

The Maharashtra FDA also acted against a Reliance Retail outlet in Buldhana after a complaint that live larvae were found in packaged kaju katli. A sample from another batch was sent for laboratory analysis, with further action to depend on the report.

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The wider enforcement drive has also included action against restaurants, hotel kitchens and other food businesses, with authorities stepping up checks on hygiene, storage, labelling and food handling.

The Karnataka department said special inspections would continue across the state and that legal action would be taken against food businesses found violating prescribed food safety standards.

(With inputs from TOI)