An inspection team designated by the Director of Health Services seized stale food from five-star and three-star hotels in the city on Saturday.
Major discrepancies were found at Hotel Taj Gateway and Hotel Emerald, while minor offences were detected at Hotel Raviz, Big Bazaar, and MIMS Hospital canteen.
The Gateway and Emerald managements were issued summons, while fine was levied on the others under the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COPTA).
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The team led by Kozhikode Municipal Corporation health officer R.S. Gopakumar and District Legal Services Authority secretary R.L. Baiju seized 5 kg of cake mixture, 6 kg of ghee rice, and masala mixtures from the kitchen of Hotel Taj Gateway on P.T. Usha Road. Dr. Gopakumar said the cake mixture had fungal coating on it, and that ghee rice and masala were days old. The food items were kept in the refrigerator.
According to the inspection team, the hotels that were surveyed did not follow the rule that dates should be marked on food items while refrigerating them.
“Moreover, food was found stored in unhygienic conditions at Hotel Emerald. Meat and fish were kept together. Some hotels were fined for not keeping the statutory warning against smoking,” it said.
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The team also consisted of District Medical Officer Asha Devi, veterinary surgeon Linoop, technical assistant K.T. Mohan, and corporation health inspector Abdul Khader.
Inspections will be conducted at hospitals, government and private offices, schools, and apartment complexes in the city in the coming days.