KFC Responds After Food Safety Raid at Mangaluru Outlet

A KFC outlet in Mangaluru, Karnataka, has been inspected by food safety officials following a customer complaint alleging that stale and foul-smelling chicken was delivered from the restaurant.

The complaint was made after the customer ordered Chicken Peri Peri Legs online and allegedly found the product to be spoiled. Following the complaint, officials from the Food Safety Department conducted a surprise inspection of the outlet, covering its kitchen, storeroom, cold storage, deep freezers and fried chicken stock.

Authorities sealed the outlet's godown during the inspection and collected chicken samples for laboratory analysis. Officials said further action will depend on the laboratory findings.

KFC said it follows Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) requirements across its operations and is cooperating with the authorities. The company said, "As a responsible brand, KFC is firmly committed to providing high levels of food safety, quality and hygiene. The information circulating doesn't depict the true facts. We source high-quality chicken from reputed suppliers across the country and actively comply with FSSAI guidelines, along with certain global quality standards, to serve quality food to our customers. The chicken we serve and store is as per norms and is prepared in-store every day, and each piece undergoes multiple stringent quality and safety checks from the suppliers' farm to the consumers' plate."

The company added, "We're fully cooperating with the concerned authorities and are reviewing the matter in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Any customer who wishes to know more about KFC's strict kitchen procedures and safety protocols can contact the restaurant manager for a kitchen tour."

The Mangaluru inspection comes as Karnataka's food safety authorities continue checks across hotels, restaurants, resorts and other food-service establishments. In Mysuru city and district, officials seized 9 kg of expired chicken from Rio Meridian Hotel, 68 kg of meat from Grand Mercure Hotel and 4 kg of mushrooms from Q Star Hotel. Further investigation is underway.

Inspection drives at resorts in Mysuru and Nanjangud taluks also resulted in three notices being issued. Officials inspected three resorts, collected five food samples, including two legal samples and three survey samples, and seized and discarded 16 kg of expired and perishable food items.

Food safety officials have also recently inspected a private hospital in Bengaluru, where expired rava, icing sugar, maida and bakery products were reportedly found in the kitchen. Four packets of mixture and nine packets of pani puri were also found beyond their expiry dates. The inspection team additionally recovered stale bread, two plastic chopper boards, five packets of methi leaves, six packets of fried gram weighing 30 kg, one packet of green peas weighing 30 kg, and five packets of moong dal weighing 30 kg each.

Luxury hospitality properties have also come under scrutiny in Bengaluru. Inspections at hotels and resorts including Four Seasons and Shangri-La reportedly found expired milk and rotten meat, leading the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department to initiate legal proceedings.