
Food safety concerns have once again come under the spotlight in Karnataka, with health department officials conducting surprise inspections at eateries and hotels across the state. From roadside food stalls to prominent hotels and bakeries, officials are stepping up checks to ensure that food served to the public meets safety and hygiene standards. Amid these inspections, two alarming incidents have surfaced in Chikkamagaluru within just three days, raising concerns among residents and food safety advocates.
Chikkamagaluru has witnessed two major food safety incidents in quick succession. First, a dead lizard was reportedly found in a vada at a hotel in Kalasa. Before the incident could fade from public attention, another food safety concern emerged in Chikkamagaluru city, where a well-known bakery was allegedly found using expired chocolate sauce.
Customers expressed anger over the incident at Cake Corner bakery on Basavanahalli Main Road in Chikkamagaluru. The issue came to light after a customer complained that the cake he had purchased tasted bitter. Upon checking the cake, he allegedly found that the chocolate sauce used in its preparation had passed its expiry date.
The customer then confronted the bakery staff and questioned them about the potential health risks, particularly for children.
"What if a child eats this and ends up in the hospital? Who will be responsible?" the customer asked the staff.
The customer also questioned how the bakery could sell a cake prepared using an expired ingredient.
"How can you sell a cake like this? What about people's health?" the customer asked.
He further pointed out that the sauce had reportedly expired a month earlier.
"This sauce expired a month ago. Why are you using it? The cake is stinking and the sauce is bitter. I'm not paying for this bitter cake, and I'm not letting this go," he said.
The incident has raised concerns over food storage practices and the need for bakeries and eateries to ensure that ingredients are used within their expiry dates.
A video showing the customer confronting the bakery staff has gone viral on social media. In the video, the customer can be seen questioning the staff over the alleged use of expired chocolate sauce and raising concerns about the possible health consequences.
A staff member reportedly tried to calm the customer down and offered a refund for the cake.
"It was a mistake, that's all. We will give you a refund for the cake," the staff member said.
The incident has renewed concerns about food safety and hygiene practices in eateries and bakeries. Authorities are expected to examine such complaints and take appropriate action if violations are established.
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