Officials shut KFC outlet in Mangaluru after finding stale, 7-8 months old chicken meat during raid

Mangaluru, Aug. 15: Health officials on Saturday conducted a raid at a KFC outlet located in a mall on K.S. Rao Road in Mangaluru following a complaint alleging that contaminated food had been supplied to a customer.

The inspection was carried out jointly by Dakshina Kannada District Health Officer Dr H.R. Thimmaiah and District Food Safety Officer Praveen. Officials reportedly found unhygienic conditions at the outlet, old meat stored in the storage area and expired cooking oil.

The officials seized the suspected stale meat and expired oil and ordered the outlet to be closed. Samples collected during the inspection will be sent to a food testing laboratory in Mysuru for analysis. Further action will be taken after the laboratory report is received.

The inspection followed a complaint from a city resident who had ordered chicken peri-peri from the KFC outlet. When the customer opened the box after delivery, the chicken reportedly had a foul smell. The matter was brought to the attention of Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister U.T. Khader, following which he directed health and food safety officials to inspect the outlet.

According to officials, chicken meat is reportedly supplied to the outlet from Bengaluru. During the inspection, officials found three types of chicken products stored in the storage room. A foul smell was noticed when officials entered the room, and the staff allegedly failed to provide a satisfactory explanation when questioned about it. The chicken meat stored in the storage was suspected to be at least 7-8 months old.

Officials also reportedly found expired oil at the outlet.

District Food Safety Officer Praveen said the three types of chicken products and expired oil found during the inspection had been collected for testing.

"Samples collected during the inspection will be sent to the food testing laboratory in Mysuru to check their quality. Further action will be taken after the report is received. Prima facie, we found that contaminated food was being supplied and that there were issues related to hygiene, stale meat and the use of expired oil. Therefore, the outlet has been instructed to remain closed, remove all products and carry out cleaning. Further action will be taken after the laboratory report," he said.