Food safety case filed against Kannur juice outlet after bacteria found in cocktail

The Food Safety department has filed a case against a popular juice outlet located at Caltex in Kannur. Laboratory tests on a cocktail served at the establishment detected the presence of unsafe bacteria.

Investigation

The action came after an analysis was conducted at the Regional Analytical Laboratory situated at Malaparamba in Kozhikode. Following this, the Kannur Circle of the Food Safety department filed the case before the Taliparamba Revenue Divisional Officer. Multiple people who drank the cocktail at the shop on September 21 suffered from health issues like vomiting, diarrhoea, and headache, with several children among the sick.

Action Taken

Officials from the Health and Food Safety departments, along with the Kannur Corporation Health wing, inspected the shop on September 23 to collect samples for testing. Food Safety Assistant Commissioner S. Sangeeth recommended registering the case after looking at the lab report. Authorities have received 55 complaints regarding the incident so far, and the filed case includes provisions for compensation to those affected. The shop can reopen only after fixing all the problems pointed out by the department.

Context

Food safety authorities routinely inspect eateries and test food samples when public health complaints arise after eating or drinking out. Such cases help ensure that food businesses follow strict hygiene rules to protect customers from foodborne illnesses.