Chicken served, stored in restaurants maintained as per prescribed norms, says KFC

Multinational fast-food chain KFC on Monday said information circulating after a customer complaint and a subsequent food-safety inspection at its Mangaluru outlet “doesn't depict the true facts”, asserting that chicken served and stored at its restaurants is maintained according to prescribed norms.

The clarification came a day after officials from the Food Safety Division inspected the outlet following a consumer's allegation that stale chicken was being served. The inspection was conducted under the direction of Karnataka Health minister UT Khader.

KFC defends food safety standards

KFC said it remains committed to food safety, quality and hygiene across its restaurants and maintained that the claims circulating about the Mangaluru outlet did not present the complete facts.

"We source high-quality chicken from reputed suppliers across the country and actively comply with FSSAI guidelines, along with certain global quality standards, to serve quality food to our customers," the company said.

The chain also said the chicken served and stored at its outlets is handled according to prescribed norms and prepared in-store every day.

Company says chicken undergoes safety checks

According to KFC, its chicken goes through multiple quality and safety checks throughout the supply chain, starting from the suppliers' farms and continuing until the food reaches customers.

The company said it was cooperating with the authorities following the inspection and reviewing the matter in line with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

"We're fully cooperating with the concerned authorities and are reviewing the matter in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Any customer who wishes to know more about KFC's strict kitchen procedures and safety protocols can contact the restaurant manager for a kitchen tour," it added.

Chicken samples sent for testing

Food safety officials said chicken samples were collected from the Mangaluru outlet during the inspection and sent to a laboratory for testing.

The outlet was also instructed to clear its chicken stock and clean the cold storage area, officials said.

The laboratory results will determine whether the samples collected during the inspection meet the applicable food-safety requirements. KFC has maintained that its food-handling and storage practices follow prescribed standards.