BENGALURU: In a two-month-long crackdown, the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (FDA) uncovered serious violations across the state, including substandard medicines, unsafe food, and hazardous tattoo inks, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told media on Friday.
The inspections, conducted between December and February, led to the testing of thousands of drug and food samples including packaged drinking water bottles, fried green peas, cosmetics, antibiotics, and other food items, revealing substandard medicines, excessive use of artificial colours in food, and unhygienic practices in food businesses across the state.
Substandard medicines and regulatory action
The crackdown resulted in 400 show cause notices to medical shops, 231 drug licenses suspended, and three permanently cancelled. Additionally, Rs 17 lakh worth of substandard drugs were recalled, and investigations were initiated against medical stores selling antibiotics without prescriptions across the state. “We will soon come up with a Drug recall policy to systemise and computerise the whole process,” Rao said.
Gundu Rao said that in response to the growing concern over substandard drugs, the department is in process to develop a software system to track medicines from manufacturers to retailers, ensuring awareness and faster recalls of unsafe drugs.
Tattoo inks contaminated with heavy metals
A shocking finding from the inspections was the presence of 22 toxic heavy metals, including selenium, chromium, platinum, and arsenic, in tattoo inks sold in the market. These contaminants can enter the body through the skin, leading to severe infections and long-term health risks.
“Currently, tattoo inks are not regulated under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) or the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, leaving not only consumers vulnerable, but also allowing the outlets to operate as tattoo studios with just a trade license,” Gundu Rao said, adding that they have requested the Centre to introduce safety standards and regulations to address the issue.
Unsafe food and Unhygienic practices
The crackdown also revealed serious lapses in food safety. In January, the department tested 3,608 different food samples, with 26 found unsafe and 28 of poor quality. In February, out of 2,543 samples, eight were unsafe, and five were of poor quality.
A special drive in February also collected 288 bottled drinking water samples, with reports underway. Additionally, 106 samples of fried green peas were tested for artificial colouring agents, with 26 found unsafe.
52 OUTLETS USING PLASTIC SHEETS FOR STEAMING IDLI
Gundu Rao said that 681 hotels, restaurants, and street vendors were inspected to find the use of plastic sheets in idli preparation following which notices have been issued to 52 food establishments. Of the 52, around 12 food outlets in Bengaluru Urban, five in BBMP East limits, two in BBMP South limits, and one in BBMP West limits, were found using polythene sheets or plastic for idli preparation.
RINGER LACTATE SOLUTION TESTED
Ringer Lactate Solution, which came under scrutiny following the maternal deaths in Ballari, was also tested by the FDA. 113 samples were found to be ‘Not of Standard Quality.’ So far, nine prosecutions have been filed in various courts, while approval has been granted for prosecution in 25 others.
4.06% OF CAKE SAMPLES UNSAFE
An analysis in August 2024 found 4.06% of cake samples unsafe. After a campaign, a re-evaluation in January 2025 showed improvement, with only 1.16% of samples failing safety tests. Officials are now working to educate bakeries on the safe use of synthetic and natural colours.
PROBE LAUNCHED INTO USE OF CHEMICAL DYES IN WATERMELONS
The FDA has launched a thorough investigation into the alleged use of chemical dyes in watermelons. This comes after alarming reports that some vendors across Karnataka are injecting artificial colourants
to enhance the fruit’s red hue.