Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected 112 food establishments across 36 railway stations, as part of a special food safety drive. Officials found expired milk and curd, vegetables with fungal growth, food being packed or served on newspapers, unsuitable plastic containers, suspected use of non-permitted colours and other hygiene violations.
At food preparation units at Mysuru Railway Station, officials found idlis being prepared using plastic material. The department said action had been initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and that railway authorities and designated officers would be informed, with further legal action against food businesses found violating prescribed standards.
Food Safety Violations
The inspections covered hotels, canteens, food stalls, pantry cars and food preparation units operating on railway premises. At a railway station in Haveri district, officials found expired packets of Nandini curd and Dodla standardised milk, while expired food articles were also detected at other establishments. Inspectors reported fungal growth on onions and vegetables and found unhygienic conditions at a hotel food establishment at Bengaluru’s KR Puram railway station.
Prepared vadas were reportedly being kept directly on newspapers, while some food items were being packed in newspapers before being served to customers. Samosas were found stored in cardboard boxes, and chutney was kept in plastic buckets that were not considered suitable for food storage.
Officials also flagged labelling and registration-related lapses. Some savoury items and chapatis were reportedly being sold without the required labelling information, while food business registration certificates were not prominently displayed at some establishments. Suspected use of non-permitted colours was also detected, with officials reporting yellow colour in jalebi and pink colour in khoa peda. The department said several deficiencies were found during the drive and that action had been initiated under applicable food safety rules.
Mysuru Idlis Raise Plastic-Use Concerns
The finding at Mysuru Railway Station is particularly significant because Karnataka has already taken action against the use of plastic sheets in idli preparation. In February 2025, inspections across the state found establishments using plastic sheets while steaming idlis, prompting regulatory intervention. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) subsequently directed Karnataka to take strict action against violations, citing concerns about potentially harmful substances leaching from low-grade plastics when exposed to high temperatures.
FSSAI has also repeatedly warned against using newspapers to wrap, serve or store food. Its guidance notes that printing inks can contain chemicals, including lead and other heavy metals, that may migrate into food, while newspapers can also be exposed to contaminants during handling and distribution. The Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 prohibit the use of newspapers for wrapping, covering or serving food, including for absorbing excess oil from fried items. Food vendors are advised to use safe, approved food-grade packaging instead.
For consumers, experts and food-safety authorities generally advise avoiding food that has been kept directly on newspapers, especially hot or oily items, and checking packaging and expiry information wherever possible. Food should also be prepared and stored using food-grade materials rather than plastics not intended for high-temperature contact. The concerns are particularly relevant at railway stations, where large numbers of passengers rely on quick-service food and may have limited information about how or where it was prepared.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Food safety is not a luxury or a matter of appearance; it is a basic part of public health. Railway stations serve people from every age group and background, often under time pressure, making safe food handling especially important. The findings from Karnataka should not be used to paint every railway food outlet or vendor with the same brush, but they do underline why regular inspections, transparent enforcement and responsible practices are necessary.
Vendors and food businesses deserve clear guidance and fair enforcement, while consumers deserve food that meets basic safety standards. The latest inspections are a reminder that small shortcuts, from using newspapers as wrappers to ignoring expiry dates, can have consequences for public health. What more can be done to make food safety a routine priority at railway stations across India?
Also Read: Modi Government’s Big Gen Z Outreach: One Minister To Visit One University Every Day
Karnataka Food safety officials found expired milk & curd, fungal vegetables, food packed in newspapers, vadas kept on newspapers and suspected banned colours during inspections at 36 stations.
— Imran Khan (@KeypadGuerilla) August 20, 2026
At Mysuru Railway Station, idlis were allegedly prepared using plastic material.
112… pic.twitter.com/Tu61t9cTdD
