Bengaluru, Aug 20: A statewide food safety inspection at railway stations across Karnataka has uncovered a range of violations, including expired dairy products, suspected use of non-permitted food colours, poor storage practices and unhygienic handling of food.

The inspection drive, conducted on Thursday, covered 36 railway stations and 112 food establishments, including railway pantries, hotels and outlets supplying food to trains.

Officials inspected food businesses at several major railway stations, including KSR Bengaluru, Yeshwantpur, KR Puram, Yelahanka, Mysuru, Hubballi, Mangaluru, Udupi, Ballari, Hosapete, Davangere, Kolar, Haveri, Koppal, Gadag, Bagalkot, Karwar, Yadgir, Birur and Kadur.

During the inspections, food safety officials raised concerns over the suspected use of non-permitted colours in popular sweets. Yellow colouring was detected in jalebi, while pink colouring was found in khova pedha. Officials also found expired packets of Nandini curd and Dodla standardised milk at a railway station in Haveri district.

At Mysuru Junction, officials found idlis being prepared using plastic material, while expired food products were detected in a kitchen. Fungal growth was also found on onions and other vegetables, raising concerns over the manner in which raw ingredients were being stored and handled.

A hotel outlet at the KR Puram railway station in Bengaluru was also found operating under unhygienic conditions.

The inspections further revealed problems with the labelling and storage of packaged and prepared food. Several products, including savoury items and packets of chapatis, were found without mandatory labelling information. In some establishments, food business registration certificates were not prominently displayed as required under food safety regulations.

Officials also flagged several practices that could compromise food hygiene. Samosas were found stored in cardboard boxes, while prepared vadas were kept on newspapers. In some outlets, food was packed in newspapers before being served. Chutney was reportedly being stored in plastic buckets that were considered unsuitable for food storage.

The findings highlight the importance of maintaining proper hygiene not only in kitchens but throughout the food supply chain at railway stations, where large numbers of passengers depend on ready-to-eat meals and snacks.

However, officials found better standards on the Vande Bharat trains operating on the Mangaluru–Kerala and Hubballi–Bengaluru routes, which were reported to be maintaining cleanliness and hygiene standards during the inspection.

The railway authorities and designated officers will be informed about the violations detected during the drive. Food business operators found to have breached prescribed food safety requirements may face further legal action, health department officials said.