Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration Department inspected 45 ice cream manufacturing units across the state on October 8, collecting 70 samples for laboratory testing and seizing expired food products from establishments in Bengaluru and Mysuru.
The special inspection drive was conducted on the directions of Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related rules, according to an official release cited by PTI.
The samples included ice cream, milk, milk powder, flavouring substances, sugar, food additives and other raw materials. They were sent to government food laboratories to assess their quality and compliance with prescribed safety standards.
In Bengaluru, officials seized expired products from Savara Ice Cream Cafe in Jayanagar 3rd Block and M N Enterprises in Bilekahalli, both in the BBMP, now GBA, South Zone. The department said expired biscuits, milk, alkalised tea and coffee mixes, and desiccated coconut powder were seized from Savara Ice Cream Cafe.
At M N Enterprises, officials seized expired plain caramel, milkmaid and khoa. The inspection team also found deficiencies in labelling requirements at the establishment. The findings place expiry-date control, storage practices and product labelling at the centre of the department’s enforcement action.
Officials also reported problems at two units outside Bengaluru. Unhygienic conditions were observed at Gemini Ice Cream Manufacturing Unit in Raichur, after which the establishment was issued a notice. At John Candy Ice Cream Manufacturing Unit in Mysuru, inspectors found deficiencies in labelling and seized ice cream products worth Rs 20,000.
The inspection drive shows how food safety enforcement operates across multiple points in the supply chain, from raw materials such as milk powder, sugar and additives to finished ice cream products. The department’s sampling process is intended to establish whether the products meet prescribed safety standards, while seizures and notices address visible violations identified during inspections.
The action also highlights the role of local enforcement zones in monitoring food businesses in Bengaluru. While the inspection was organised at the state level, the reported seizures in Jayanagar and Bilekahalli were linked to establishments within the South Zone’s administrative jurisdiction.
The department said further legal action would be initiated against the establishments concerned under the Food Safety and Standards Act and relevant rules and regulations. It also said special inspection drives at ice cream manufacturing units would continue across Karnataka and that appropriate action would be taken against businesses violating food safety norms.
