Nearly one in five food samples tested in India during 2024–25 — including popular chocolate brands — failed to meet mandated safety and quality standards, according to data shared by the government in the Lok Sabha.
The findings, reported by the Times of India, are based on nationwide surveys conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which identified chocolates as one of the categories with the highest non-compliance rates.
Junior Health Minister Prataprao Jadhav said the regulator, through its four regional offices and state/UT authorities, carries out targeted drives such as the National Annual Surveillance Plan (NASP), alongside routine inspections and random sampling.
In 2024–25, over 1.7 lakh samples were analyzed, of which 34,388 were deemed non-conforming, leading to 31,407 legal cases. The trend mirrored the previous year, when 33,808 samples failed to meet standards. FSSAI has assured that punitive action is taken against businesses violating norms.
The regulator is also tightening oversight of India’s rapidly growing e-commerce food sector. In July, FSSAI warned leading platforms of “severe action” for non-compliance. At a meeting attended by more than 70 representatives from major players, CEO G. Kamala Vardhana Rao directed platforms to:
Display their FSSAI license or registration numbers on every invoice, receipt, and cash memo
Provide warehouse and storage details on the FoSCoS portal
Print information about the Food Safety Connect App for consumers
Consider showing expiry dates on online listings
Hygiene training has been made mandatory for all food handlers, including delivery staff, under the FoSTaC programme, and all warehouses linked to e-commerce food must be licensed or registered with the FSSAI.
The regulator says the measures aim to strengthen consumer safety and transparency, especially as packaged foods — from chocolates to ready-to-eat meals — dominate online and offline retail shelves.