Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Aug 16: The Food Safety Department’s inspection drive against food establishments continued in Mangaluru on Sunday, with a district food safety team carrying out a surprise inspection of the kitchen at prominent fast-food chain McDonald’s.

A team led by Dr Praveen inspected the McDonald’s kitchen as part of the ongoing enforcement drive, checking food items, storage facilities and cleanliness on the premises. Officials also examined whether the establishment was complying with prescribed food safety rules and standards.

The inspection comes a day after food safety officials stepped up checks across Mangaluru on Saturday, including a surprise raid at a KFC outlet in City Centre Mall on K S Rao Road following a complaint alleging that an online order contained spoiled, foul-smelling chicken. Officials collected food samples for laboratory testing and sealed the outlet’s go-down during the inspection.

The action in Mangaluru is part of a wider food safety crackdown in Karnataka that has expanded from Bengaluru, where recent inspections uncovered expired and unsafe food items as well as hygiene violations at several establishments. The drive has since spread to other major cities, including Mangaluru and Mysuru.

On Sunday, Health and family welfare minister U T Khader said surprise inspections would continue and warned food establishments that no concessions would be given, irrespective of their size. He stressed that public health remained the government’s first priority.

The latest inspection at McDonald’s forms part of the continued checks being carried out against food establishments across Mangaluru, with officials closely scrutinising kitchen hygiene, food storage and compliance with food safety requirements.