Vegetables sold in Bengaluru markets and online will face safety checks

Vegetables that look unusually shiny in a supermarket aisle or an online grocery delivery may soon draw the attention of food-safety inspectors in Bengaluru.

Health Minister U.T. Khader said the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration Department will conduct safety checks on vegetables sold in markets, supermarkets and through e-commerce platforms. The department has received complaints that chemicals are being sprayed on vegetables to retain freshness and make them appear more attractive, he said.

The inspections will widen the department’s existing raids on eateries and storage spaces. Khader specifically referred to produce sold by e-commerce companies and supermarkets, saying vegetables at these outlets generally appear shiny and should be checked from a public-health perspective.

The announcement does not set out a timeline or testing process for the inspections. For Bengaluru shoppers, it signals that the same scrutiny already directed at food businesses and storage facilities is set to reach retail vegetable supply chains as well.