KFC denies stale chicken claims, says food served and stored as per FSSAI norms

MUMBAI: KFC has denied allegations that its Mangaluru outlet served stale chicken, saying the information circulating after a consumer complaint and subsequent inspection “doesn’t depict the true facts”.

The clarification comes a day after officials from the Food Safety Division inspected the outlet following a consumer complaint alleging that stale chicken was being served. The inspection was conducted under the direction of Karnataka health minister U T Khader.

“As a responsible brand, KFC is firmly committed to providing high levels of food safety, quality and hygiene. The information circulating doesn’t depict the true 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 chicken we serve and store is as per norms and is prepared in-store every day, and each piece undergoes multiple stringent quality and safety checks from the suppliers’ farm to the consumers’ plate. 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,” KFC said.

According to officials, food safety personnel collected chicken samples from the Mangaluru outlet during the inspection and sent them to a laboratory for testing.

The outlet was also directed to clear its existing chicken stock and clean its cold-storage area.

The laboratory results will provide further clarity on the condition of the food samples collected during the inspection. For now, KFC maintains that its food handling and storage practices comply with the required norms.