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Food safety officials seized food products worth ₹5.99 lakh after inspecting 16 sweet manufacturing units across Karnataka on Monday, finding expired curd, improperly labelled chocolate decoration material and about 60 kg of misbranded food products.

The department said the inspections were intended to enforce food safety and hygiene requirements and identify violations of the law. (HT/Representational)The operation covered sweet units in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru rural, the Greater Bengaluru Authority, Mysuru City Corporation, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation areas.

The department said the inspections were intended to enforce food safety and hygiene requirements and identify violations of the law.

“The special drive was undertaken to ensure strict compliance with food safety, hygiene and quality standards and to safeguard public health,” the food safety and drug administration department said. “The department also initiated action against establishments where violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules and regulations framed thereunder were identified.”

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Among the products seized were 5 litres of expired Nandini curd, 13 large packets and 6 small packets of chocolate decoration products that had improper labelling, 10 kg of chocolate flavour and 5 kg of rasgulla.

Officials also seized 367 kg of ready to eat savouries, 196 kg of fennel powder, 6 kg of khova, 4.5 kg of cracked cocoa beans and 4 kg of cocoa powder.

The department said about 60 kg of products, including banana chips and chakli masala, did not meet mandatory labelling requirements.

“Approximately 60 kg of various food products, including Banana Chips and Chakli Masala, were found to be misbranded,” the department said. “The products did not carry mandatory labelling information, including the manufacturer’s name and address and FSSAI licence number.”

Alongside the seizures, officials collected samples for laboratory examination. The material sent for testing included sweets, cooking oil, fresh oil, curd, pulses, chickpeas, jalebi, khova and tea powder. “The samples have been sent to authorised laboratories to assess their quality, safety and compliance with prescribed food safety standards,” the department said.

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The laboratory results will determine whether the sampled products comply with the prescribed requirements. The department said establishments found in violation would face action under the Food Safety and Standards Act and the regulations made under it.

“The department of food safety and drug administration has stated that further legal action will be initiated against the concerned establishments, in accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the rules and regulations framed thereunder,” it said.

The department said the inspections were part of its continuing responsibility to ensure that food sold to consumers meets safety and hygiene requirements. “Our food safety department reiterates that ensuring safe, hygienic and quality food for consumers remains a priority and that strict enforcement action will continue against establishments found violating food safety standards,” the statement said.

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The latest operation follows an earlier inspection drive targeting sweets in November 2024. Officials collected and analysed 151 sweet samples around Deepavali and found 9 unsafe because of artificial colours.

In a separate operation involving food products entering Karnataka, 31 of 90 samples tested were found unsafe. The department reported artificial colours and bacterial contamination in those samples.

Arun Dev is an Assistant Editor with the Karnataka bureau of Hindustan Times. A journalist for over 10 years, he has written extensively on crime and politics.