Bengaluru, 20 August

Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) department officials conducted a special raid at 36 railway stations across the State on Thursday, and found fungus growing on vegetables, expired Nandini milk and curd, and the use of non-permitted colours in sweets like jalebis. 

The inspection was conducted at 112 food establishments at Bengaluru City Railway station (KSR), Yeshwanthpura, Krishna Raja Puram, Yelahanka, Kolar, Mysuru, Haveri, Udupi, Koppal, Gadag, Davanagere, Bagalkote, Karwar, Yadgiri, Berur and Kadur junction, Ballari, Hospet, Hubaballi and Mangaluru, according to a statement from the Department. The teams inspected the railway pantry, railway hotel and food served on the train.

Unhygienic conditions were observed in a hotel at KR Puram Railway Station. At Mysuru Railway Station, idlis were found to be prepared using plastic material and expired food items were also found in the kitchen, the statement added.

Yellow colour was found to have been used in Jalebi and pink colour in Khova Peda. Expired curd and standardised milk packets were found at a railway station in Haveri district, it said. 

Chutney was found to be stored in plastic buckets that were not suitable for food storage.

Notably, the team found that Vande Bharat trains between Mangaluru and Kerala and Hubballi and Bengaluru were maintained clean. There was, however, ‘suspected use’ of non-permitted colours in food products, the statement said.

Health Minister UT Khader noted that Vande Bharat trains don’t have kitchens, and store the food in ‘hot boxes’. These will also be checked, he said.