The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has initiated legal proceedings for prosecution against Surya Food & Agro Ltd., manufacturer of Priyagold biscuits, Dodla Dairy Ltd. and UEIR Organic Foods Pvt. Ltd. over alleged food safety violations. According to FSSAI reports, the violations involved biscuits, full cream milk and organic yellow raisins. The authority has also issued notices to Narpadham Foods, Sun Ridges Health Carers and Sha Kantilal Jayantilal over various hygiene, licensing and compliance concerns. In a social media post on Saturday, FSSAI informed that it has "initiated legal proceedings for prosecution" against these three companies for "serious food safety violations." The action follows inspections, consumer complaints and laboratory assessments that raised concerns about the safety and quality of products associated with the businesses.
A regulatory sample of Dodla Dairy's full cream milk was initially declared substandard for failing to meet prescribed milk-fat specifications. Following an appeal, a referral laboratory reportedly confirmed that the sample was also unsafe due to the presence of detergent or caustic soda, while its milk-fat content remained below the required minimum. The Food Analyst had declared the sample substandard due to non-conformity with the prescribed milk fat specifications. Upon appeal by the company, the sample was referred to the Referral Food Laboratory, which "confirmed that the sample was unsafe due to the presence of detergent/caustic soda and substandard due to milk fat below the minimum prescribed limit." The findings of the lab established violations relating to unsafe and substandard food under the FSS Act, 2006, leading to the prosecution proceedings. This distinction is important as a substandard food product does not meet one or more prescribed quality requirements, while an unsafe product raises concerns about potential harm to consumers.
An inspection of Surya Food & Agro Ltd. following a consumer complaint reportedly found bran intended for cattle feed being used as a fibre source in Priyagold biscuit manufacturing. According to FSSAI, officials identified "bran meant for cattle feed and not intended for human consumption was found being used as a raw material in Priyagold biscuit manufacturing as a source of fibre." The gunny bags containing the bran were marked to indicate that the material was intended for cattle feed. Other deficiencies were observed in plant hygiene, pest control, raw material storage and segregation, personnel hygiene, premises maintenance and handling of intermediate formulations. The inspection uncovered significant shortcomings in food safety and hygiene practices during the inspection. Following these findings, the company's FSSAI licence was suspended, and prosecution proceedings were sanctioned. FSSAI had earlier suspended the licence of Surya Food & Agro following serious non-compliances identified during the inspection, and now it has initiated legal proceedings for prosecution against the company. The case highlights why ingredient traceability matters in food manufacturing, as raw material suitability cannot be assumed simply because it contains a desired nutrient such as fibre.
UEIR Organic Foods faced prosecution proceedings after a regulatory sample of its organic yellow raisins was declared unsafe due to pesticide residues exceeding permitted limits. Initial analysis detected multiple residues, including azoxystrobin, imidacloprid, tebuconazole and thiamethoxam. A referral laboratory subsequently confirmed that thiamethoxam and fluopyram metabolites exceeded the prescribed limits, supporting the decision to initiate prosecution proceedings. The competent authority granted sanction for initiating prosecution against UEIR Organic Foods and the other concerned FBOs associated with the manufacture and marketing of the product. Raisins are commonly consumed as snacks and used in desserts, baked goods and breakfast dishes, making their safety particularly important for consumers.
FSSAI issued notices to Narpadham Foods over inadequate infrastructure, storage, sanitation, pest control, supplier documentation and personnel hygiene. According to FSSAI reports, Sun Ridges Health Carers was flagged for storing food directly on the floor, inadequate sanitation, missing testing records and shortcomings in staff hygiene. The affected businesses have been directed to respond or submit compliance reports within stipulated periods. The authorities have directed further prosecution proceedings for the unsafe and substandard food across all the companies involved in these violations. FSSAI's action places the spotlight on the responsibility food businesses carry towards consumers, with the prosecution proceedings determining legal consequences arising from the respective cases. For the wider industry, the message is clear: food safety standards must be followed consistently, from the raw materials entering a factory to the products reaching household kitchens.
