Food Safety Officials Inspect Prominent Bengaluru Clubs, Find Hygiene Violations

Food safety officials in Bengaluru have launched extensive inspections across several prominent private clubs in the city, uncovering multiple hygiene, sanitation, and food storage violations at high-profile establishments including the Bowring Club and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Club.

Teams from the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) visited the facilities to determine whether the venues complied with statutory food safety standards. The checks focused on food storage conditions, personal hygiene of staff, kitchen sanitation, drainage systems, and mandatory product labelling. The drive covered exclusive clubs whose memberships are held by some of Bengaluru's most prominent residents and where membership fees can run into lakhs of rupees.

Among the establishments inspected by the authorities were Century Club, KSCA Club, Race Course Club, Bowring Club, Catholic Club, Badminton Club, Tennis Club, Vijayanagara Club, Mahalakshmi Layout Club, and Malleshwaram Club.

At the Bowring Club, inspecting officials found cockroaches on the kitchen floor, inside food containers, and within storage cartons, among other areas of the premises.

At the KSCA Club, the inspection team recorded several operational and hygiene failures. Officials reported that food handlers failed to maintain adequate personal hygiene, while plastic cutting boards were found in active use in the kitchen. The inspection further identified a blocked drainage system, an unhygienic frozen-storage room, and a substandard utensil-cleaning area where hot water was unavailable.

Officials at the KSCA Club also raised concerns over the co-mingling of food supplies, noting that vegetarian and non-vegetarian items were not being stored separately. In addition, inspectors found food products violating packaging regulations, including a packet of K Shakti Toor Dal that lacked a packing date, batch number, and maximum retail price, as well as unlabelled tilapia fish.

Hygiene-related deficiencies were also documented at the Mahalakshmi Layout Club. Food safety officers determined that the premises failed to maintain adequate hygiene standards and issued an official notice to the club.

Bengaluru's Minister for Health and Family Welfare, UT Khader, is scheduled to hold a press briefing on Wednesday to share comprehensive details on the ongoing inspection drive and subsequent regulatory actions.