Food Safety officials conduct State-wide inspection at 45 packaged drinking water units; notices issued to 24

Bengaluru The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department conducted a special State-wide inspection of 45 packaged drinking water units on Thursday. Several violations, including unhygienic conditions, absence of medical fitness certificates for staff, missing licences from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), labelling defects and failure to produce pest control certificates, were found during the inspection.

As many as 32 water samples have been sent to government food laboratories for testing, while notices have been issued to 24 units for the violations. Misbranded packaged drinking water was seized from units in Mysuru and Davangere. A unit at Mulbagal in Kolar district was shut down due to unhygienic conditions. Health Minister U.T. Khader has advised consumers to verify the FSSAI licence number, ISI mark, manufacturing date and integrity of the seal before purchasing packaged drinking water.

He also urged the public to report irregularities by scanning the QR code provided for lodging complaints.