Karnataka FDA seizes expired stock at Bengaluru ice cream units during state sweep

Food Safety and Drug Administration department officials inspected 45 ice-cream manufacturing units across Karnataka and seized expired food products from two establishments in Bengaluru. The statewide enforcement drive, conducted following directions from Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader, aimed to check compliance with statutory food quality norms.

The operation highlights rising regulatory scrutiny over commercial food production and dairy processing standards in urban centres. State authorities have intensified inspections across restaurants, distribution hubs, and manufacturing facilities following persistent concerns regarding consumer health and safety protocols.

During the inspections conducted on Thursday, enforcement teams visited facilities and collected 70 food samples, including finished ice-cream batches, raw milk, milk powder, sugar, flavouring substances, and various food additives. All collected samples were dispatched to government-run food testing laboratories to evaluate compliance with prescribed purity parameters.

In Bengaluru, checks at Savara Ice Cream Café located in Jayanagar 3rd Block revealed stocks of expired ingredients, prompting officials to confiscate items such as Nandini Samrudhi milk, Britannia biscuits, alkalised tea and coffee mixes, and desiccated coconut powder. A second local facility, M.N. Enterprises in Bilekahalli off Bannerghatta Road, was found storing expired plain caramel, Nestlé Milkmaid, and Milky Mist khoa, alongside administrative deficiencies concerning product labelling.

Outside the state capital, regulatory action extended to Mysuru and Raichur. At the John Candy Ice Cream manufacturing unit in Mysuru, authorities detected labelling lapses and seized finished ice-cream stock valued at ₹20,000. Meanwhile, inspectors issued a formal notice to the Gemini Ice Cream manufacturing unit in Raichur after observing severe operational lapses regarding factory hygiene.

The department stated that legal proceedings will be initiated against all defaulting operators under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and associated regulatory rules. Further enforcement drives targeting commercial dessert and dairy manufacturers will continue across the state pending laboratory evaluation reports.