Thiruvananthapuram: Health Minister Veena George informed that the Food Safety Department continued its inspection of restaurants and eateries across Kerala on Saturday as well.
As part of the drive, officials raided 440 establishments in the state, of which 26 -- 11 for not maintaining the stipulated hygiene standards and 15 for operating without a license -- were directed to close down. Notices were issued to 145 restaurants.
In Ernakulam alone, four eateries were shut down, nine were fined and five were issued notices.
Despite the government stepping up its supervision of poorly-run restaurants, another life was lost in Kasaragod to food poisoning on early Saturday. Anjushree Parvathy (19), the latest victim of contaminated restaurant food in Kerala, died because of bacterial poisoning of the blood, according to Kasaragod District Medical Officer Dr A V Ramdas.
Anjushree and four members of her family fell ill after eating Chicken Kuzhimanthi, Chicken 65, and mayonnaise ordered from a restaurant in Kasaragod on December 31. She died after battling food poisoning symptoms for seven days.
Meanwhile, in Idukki, three family members, including a seven-year-old boy, contracted food poisoning after eating shawarma from a restaurant near Kizhakkekavala in Nedumkandam.
The Food Safety Department, on inspection, found that the restaurant did not have a panchayat licence, the staff did not possess a health card and its premises were unsanitary. the restaurant was shut down immediately.
All three are currently under treatment at a private hospital.
