BENGALURU: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Wednesday said food testing kits will be available at public places near food courts and malls for people to test food quality.
According to health department sources, 3,400 such testing kits will be made available across the city of which 1,000 have already arrived.
Gundu Rao also distributed smart devices for food safety officials to facilitate on the spot recording of food samples collected during inspections, to enhance transparency and efficiency and to expedite the processing of permit and registration applications submitted online. The minister, however, did not elaborate on how these kits would be used, who would assist in the operation, or how the public would receive the results.
The minister said that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will select specific food items for testing every month from various selling points. In July, the department tested fruits and vegetables, and in August, it collected samples of khova, paneer, and cakes, with the analysis reports yet to come. In July, among the 385 samples of fruits and vegetables collected, 239 were deemed safe, while 27 were found unsafe owing to high pesticide residue levels and fungal growth.
From April till date, the department has surveyed 8,418 food samples with 96 cases registered in the courts. A fine of Rs 4.93 lakh was imposed on 132 establishments for failing to maintain hygiene standards. The department, during the drive, collected and analysed 211 samples of gobi manchurian. While 178 samples were found safe, 31 were deemed unsafe due to use of artificial colours like Sunset Yellow and Carmoisine. Additionally, 275 samples of kebabs were analysed, with 197 reported safe and 78 unsafe due to the presence of Sunset Yellow and Tartrazine.
The department plans to conduct special drives on August 30 and 31 to inspect hotels and restaurants in district and taluk centres.