Bengaluru’s Empire Restaurant chicken kebabs declared 'Unsafe', FSSAI issues notice

Food lovers in Bengaluru may need to think twice before ordering their favourite kebabs from the popular Empire Restaurant chain. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), through its state-level inspection and laboratory testing, has declared chicken kebab samples from multiple Empire outlets across Bengaluru as ‘unsafe’ for consumption.

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According to official reports, the Food Safety and Quality Department collected chicken kebab samples from Empire branches in Shivajinagar, Malleswaram, Mahadevapura, Gandhinagar, Bommanahalli, and Hebbal. The sample from the Empire outlet near Anand Rao Circle, Gandhinagar, was specifically flagged after 2 kilograms of kebab samples (comprising four 500g pieces) were collected and submitted to the State Food Laboratory at the Public Health Institute on June 26.

Upon testing, the lab confirmed that the food item was unsafe, based on parameters under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, specifically Rule 2.4.1 (iii) of the 2011 regulations. A formal notice has now been issued to the Empire Restaurant in Gandhinagar, giving them 30 days to respond.

The authorities have informed the restaurant that if they wish to challenge the report, they may do so by sending a request for retesting the second part of the food sample at CFTRI, Mysuru, at their own cost, within the 30-day window. If no response is received within that period, legal action under the FSSAI Act will be initiated.

This development has raised serious concerns among the public, especially considering the brand's widespread popularity across Karnataka.