Food safety officers directed to inspect quality of food served by roadside vendors

Food safety officials in Mysuru have been instructed to inspect the quality of food served by road-side vendors in the City.

Food safety officials in Mysuru have been instructed to inspect the quality of food served by roadside vendors in the city.

Chairing a district-level advisory committee meeting on the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 in Mysuru on Wednesday, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru P. Shivaraju noted that people frequently consume food from roadside vendors and directed the food safety officials to inspect the quality of food served at such locations and submit reports.

He further asked food safety officials, who had carried out 130 quality checks of food items between October and December 2025 in Mysuru city limits, to intensify such inspections in the coming days.

Mr. Shivaraju also warned that repeatedly reheating oil — used for items such as fried snacks — two or more times can have harmful health effects. “During inspections of hotels and food outlets, officials must maintain strict vigilance, conduct chemical testing and verify records of oil purchase, usage and disposal,” he said.

He also directed the food safety officers to file cases if substandard food was sold. “People purchase food items by paying money, and it is the responsibility of vendors to provide quality food. If the sale of food items that adversely affect health is found, food safety officers must register cases,” he said.

Mr. Shivaraju said food business operators with an annual turnover exceeding ₹1.5 crore must apply for and obtain licences through the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) website, while those with a turnover below ₹1.5 crore must register themselves.