In a disturbing incident, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suspended the licence of Fortune Dairy Industries Pvt Ltd, a third-party manufacturing unit for Yummo Ice Creams, after a human finger was allegedly found in an ice cream ordered by a Mumbai-based doctor. The complaint was filed by Brendan Ferraro, 26, who discovered the piece of a human finger in the ice cream he had purchased online.
Ferraro lodged a complaint with the Malad police on June 12, leading to the registration of a case against Yummo Ice Creams under sections 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Subsequently, the management of Yummo Ice Creams revealed that the ice cream in question was manufactured at Fortune Dairy Industries Pvt Ltd in Indapur. In response, officials from the FSSAI and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) visited the manufacturing units in Indapur and Hadapsar for inspection.
Suresh Annapure, Joint Commissioner of the FDA, Pune region, confirmed that the central authorities had issued the food licence to Fortune Dairy. He informed, “After the incident, the FSSAI conducted the inspection, and the central authorities suspended the licence of the dairy”.
Annapure further clarified that while the Hadapsar unit was inspected as a precautionary measure, it had no direct involvement in the incident. “The inspection at the Hadapsar unit was conducted for over 12 hours. We are in the process of issuing a notice to the unit,” he added.
Sachin Jadhav, owner of Fortune Dairy Industries Pvt Ltd, Indapur, suggested that the incident might be an attempt to defame the brand. “The licence of the dairy is temporarily suspended, and the company is not sealed. However, we cannot conduct any manufacturing activities here,” said Jadhav.
He also mentioned that Fortune Dairy Industries, which began operations in 2020, processes over two lakh litres of milk daily to produce butter and skimmed milk powder.
Walko QSR Company Pvt Ltd, the owner of Yummo Ice Creams, sources its ice cream from several manufacturing units across India, including locations in Ghaziabad, Jaipur, and Gujarat. Fortune Dairy Industries started manufacturing ice cream for Yummo on September 19, 2023.
Jadhav assured that Fortune Dairy is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation. “As the investigation is underway, we are supporting the authorities,” he added.
The suspension of Fortune Dairy’s licence underscores the critical importance of food safety and quality control in the food processing industry. The investigation is ongoing, and further actions will depend on its findings.