Kochi: In yet another instance raising concerns over food safety on trains, a passenger travelling on the Vande Bharat Express in Kerala was allegedly served expired packaged juice.

According to the passenger, the juice packet provided during the journey had an expiry date of March 24, 2025. A visual of the expired product has since surfaced, further fueling criticism over the quality control measures in catering services on trains.

Earlier this year, passengers on the Vande Bharat train in Kerala filed a complaint after catering staff attempted to serve potentially contaminated food. The incident occurred when food packets fell onto the platform during delivery at Thiruvananthapuram station. Some containers had opened, and despite visible contamination, staff reportedly repacked and loaded the food onto the train bound for Kasaragod.

In a similar raid in May, authorities seized stale and decayed food items, including rotten meat and spoiled eggs, from a catering centre in Kadavanthra, Ernakulam, which was operating without a proper corporation license. The unit supplied meals to several trains, including the Vande Bharat Express.