Bengaluru Food Safety Crackdown Uncovers Unsafe Conditions at 64 PGs

Food safety officials in Bengaluru conducted coordinated inspections across 64 paying guest facilities, uncovering widespread violations of food storage and hygiene standards. The raids revealed a pattern of unsafe practices that pose direct health risks to residents relying on these accommodations for daily meals.

Seized items included expired curd and rice flour, synthetic food colorants, misbranded spices, and notably, bed bug powder stored in proximity to food supplies. Officials also recovered bisibele bath powder—a traditional cleaning agent—that had been improperly stored among edible items. The presence of non-food substances near provisions suggests serious lapses in basic food safety protocols.

The inspections underscore growing concerns about food safety standards in Bengaluru's unregulated accommodation sector. Paying guest facilities, which house thousands of students and young professionals, often operate with minimal oversight. The discovery of expired items indicates inadequate inventory management, while the storage of pesticides and cleaning agents adjacent to food represents an acute contamination hazard.

Authorities have not yet disclosed whether any PG operators face criminal charges or closure orders. The findings have prompted calls for stricter regulatory frameworks and surprise inspections to ensure adequate food safety practices across the sector.