Archive · 21 Aug 2026
Karnataka Railway Inspections Find Expired Food, Suspected Illegal Colours
Food-safety officers checked places that sell food at 36 railway stations in Karnataka.
They inspected 112 food establishments, train kitchens and food served to passengers.
They suspected that some sweets used colours that were not allowed.
They found expired curd, milk and other food items in some places.
They also saw fungus on vegetables and food stored in unsuitable containers.
Some idlis at Mysuru station were reportedly prepared using plastic material.
The railway said it started a 14-day food-safety drive after the findings.
Officials said businesses that broke food-safety rules could face legal action.
Karnataka food-safety officials inspected 112 establishments at 36 railway stations, including pantries, hotels and food served on trains.
Inspectors reported suspected non-permitted yellow colour in jalebis and pink colour in khova peda.
Expired curd, standardised milk and other food items were found, including at stations in Haveri and Mysuru.
Officials also reported fungal growth on vegetables, unhygienic premises and unsuitable food-storage practices.
South Western Railway launched a 14-day safety drive and said it had conducted 1,243 inspections and analysed 528 samples in 2025-26.
- Who
- Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration inspected railway food establishments; South Western Railway responded with a safety drive.
- What
- A special inspection reported suspected non-permitted colours, expired products, fungal growth and unhygienic or improper food-handling practices.
- When
- The Karnataka inspection took place on a Thursday; the reports were published around August 20. South Western Railway said its reported inspection figures covered 2025-26 and checks through July 2026.
- Where
- The inspection covered 112 establishments at 36 railway stations across Karnataka, including stations in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Haveri, Hubballi and Mangaluru.
- Why
- The inspection was conducted to assess compliance with food-safety requirements, including hygiene, licences, expiry dates and food handling.
Food-Safety Authorities’ Findings
South Western Railway’s Response
Condition of railway food outlets
Food-Safety Authorities’ Findings
Karnataka officials reported expired products, suspected non-permitted colours, fungal growth, unhygienic conditions and improper storage at some establishments.
South Western Railway’s Response
South Western Railway said it is committed to safe, hygienic and high-quality catering and has a monitoring system covering hundreds of catering units and railway kitchens.
Enforcement and corrective action
Food-Safety Authorities’ Findings
The food-safety department said railway authorities and designated officers would be informed and that legal action would be initiated against violating food businesses.
South Western Railway’s Response
South Western Railway said its 14-day drive would check hygiene, cleanliness, FSSAI licences, expiry dates and food handling, and that legal or adjudication action had been taken in unfit cases.
Overall compliance
Food-Safety Authorities’ Findings
The inspection identified violations at some of the 112 establishments checked, although the reports did not provide an overall compliance rate for those establishments.
South Western Railway’s Response
South Western Railway said 512 of the 528 samples analysed in 2025-26 were fully compliant and that decisive action would be taken against vendors failing to meet standards.
- Karnataka inspection
- 112 food establishments at 36 railway stations
- Reported food findings
- Suspected yellow colour in jalebis, pink colour in khova peda, expired dairy products and other expired food
- Storage and hygiene findings
- Fungal growth on onions and vegetables, chutney in unsuitable plastic buckets, food in cardboard boxes and vadas on newspapers
- Specific locations
- Expired curd and standardised milk were found at a railway station in Haveri district; unhygienic conditions and expired food were reported at facilities in KR Puram and Mysuru
- Train findings
- Vande Bharat trains between Mangaluru and Kerala and between Hubballi and Bengaluru were reported as clean
- Railway response
- South Western Railway launched an intensive 14-day Special Food Safety Drive across its divisions
- Railway monitoring
- South Western Railway said its monitoring covered 428 catering establishments, 38 pantry cars and key base kitchens
- Reported railway figures
- Railways conducted 1,243 inspections, issued 129 Improvement Notices and analysed 528 food samples in 2025-26; 512 samples were described as fully compliant
Sources
Sale of Expired Foods Detected At Some Rly Stations in Karnataka
Expired products, non-permitted colours found in food establishments at Railway stations
Expired products, non-permitted colours found in shops at Railway stations
Expired products, non-permitted colours found in shops at Railway stations in Karnataka - Telegraph India
Railways responds after expired products, non-permitted colours found in food at Karnataka stations