Food safety drive finds expired dairy, suspected illegal colours at railway eateries

Bengaluru: A food safety inspection across railway stations and trains in Karnataka found expired dairy products, suspected use of non-permitted food colours and unhygienic food-handling practices at several establishments.

The inspection drive on August 20 covered 36 railway stations and 112 food establishments, including railway pantry units, eateries and food served on trains. The inspections covered stations including KSR Bengaluru, Yeshwanthpur, KR Puram, Yelahanka, Kolar, Mysuru, Haveri, Udupi, Koppal, Gadag, Davanagere, Bagalkote, Karwar, Yadgir, Byadgi, Kadur, Ballari, Hosapete, Hubballi and Mangaluru, an official press statement said.

Officials found suspected use of non-permitted colours in food products, including yellow colour in jalebi and pink colour in khoa peda.


Expired Nandini curd and Dodla standardised milk packets were found at a railway station in Haveri district. At KR Puram railway station, officials observed unhygienic conditions at a food establishment.

At Mysuru railway station, officials found idlis prepared using plastic material, while expired food items were found in a kitchen. Inspectors also found fungal growth on onions and other vegetables.

Chutney was found stored in plastic buckets not meant for food storage, raising concerns over food-contact safety and hygiene.

Officials said they would inform the railway authorities and designated food safety officers about the violations. The authorities would take legal action against food business operators who were found to have breached prescribed food safety requirements.