Karnataka food safety authorities have closed the beverage counter at the PVR INOX multiplex in Forum South Mall, Konanakunte, Bengaluru after allegations that used cups were served to customers.
A customer posted a video on social media, where he confronts staff members after spotting a stack of disposable cups that purportedly contained the remnants of previously served soft drinks.
PVR INOX denied that the cups shown in the video were being reused to serve beverages.
However, authorities did not seal the counter just based on the video. Food safety and health department officers conducted a surprise inspection and found hygiene violations on the premises and issued a notice to PVR INOX.
Following the incident, Karnataka Health Minister U. T. Khader said restaurants and food counters need to strictly comply with food safety regulations.
"When it comes to food safety, the same rules apply to everyone, from big brands to small vendors. Public health matters as much as business," the minister said, while urging the public to report such instances by scanning the Food Safety QR code.
In August, a KFC outlet in at the City Centre mall on K.S. Road in Mangaluru was sealed after complaints about spoiled chicken. A customer alleged that an online order from the restaurant contained foul-smelling chicken. Following this, the authorities inspected the kitchen, store room and cold storage units and sealed the establishment.
The same month, authorities seized 68 kg of meat from Grand Mercure Hotel, 9kg of expired chicken from Rio Meridian Hotel and 4 kg of mushrooms from Q Star Hotel.
In September, 40 kg of expired chilli and products without proper labelling were seized from kitchen at Chairman's Club in Sahakaranagar, Bengaluru. The authorities later sealed the kitchen.
