Rat in freezer, spoiled chicken: India cracks down on food safety violations

Food safety authorities across India have initiated a significant crackdown on violations, bringing numerous chain restaurants and starred hotels under scrutiny for quality concerns. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is prohibiting the sale of mislabeled products. Recent incidents highlight the widespread issues: a rat was discovered in an ice cream freezer at a Blinkit outlet in Thane, and a customer in Mangalore reported foul-smelling chicken from KFC. Companies like Dabur, Old Monk, and delivery platforms Zepto, Blinkit, and Instamart are facing investigations. Restaurant chains including KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Subway, Burger King, Starbucks, and Monginis have also been inspected for non-compliance with food safety norms. In Karnataka, a KFC outlet in Mangaluru was raided after a customer complained about spoiled chicken; its storage area was sealed, and samples were sent for testing. Premium hotels in Mysuru were found to have large quantities of expired meat, with seizures from Rio Meridian Hotel, Grand Mercure Hotel, and Q Star Hotel. A Zepto warehouse in Bengaluru was sealed due to alleged violations in food labeling, handling, and storage. In Maharashtra, a Blinkit store in Thane gained attention after a video showed rats in an ice cream freezer. Additionally, Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff received notices from the Maharashtra FDA regarding an advertisement for a pan masala company.