The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suspended the manufacturing licence of Kolkata-based bakery major Switz Foods Pvt. Ltd. after uncovering serious food safety violations, including unhygienic manufacturing conditions, inadequate sanitation and widespread pest infestation at its production facility.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the regulator said the decision followed an inspection that revealed “serious non-compliances” posing a high risk of food contamination and compromising consumer safety.
According to FSSAI, food products were being manufactured, packed and stored under unhygienic conditions, prompting the authority to suspend the company’s licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The regulator has directed Switz Foods to immediately cease all food business operations until all deficiencies are rectified and compliance is verified by the competent authority.
The inspection found poor housekeeping and sanitation across several sections of the facility, including the crate washing area, raw material reception area, washing section and carrot cutting machine. FSSAI also noted that machinery, equipment, HDPE crates, trays, trolleys, moulds and heated kettles were not being adequately cleaned or maintained.
Inspectors further reported significant pest infestation, including the presence of flies, mosquitoes, fruit flies and cobwebs, along with broken floor tiles and grease accumulation in processing areas. Raw materials and semi-finished products were found uncovered, while dustbins and drainage systems in food handling areas lacked proper lids, increasing the risk of contamination.
The regulator also flagged inadequate segregation between raw materials and finished products, as well as the failure to maintain separate handling areas for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items, both of which are mandatory under food safety regulations.
Switz Foods, established in 1991, manufactures a range of bakery products including breads, cakes, buns, cookies and rusks. The company is part of the Dubai-headquartered Switz Group, which operates across nine countries. According to industry data, the company reported operating revenue in the ₹100-500 crore range for the financial year ended March 2024 and employed around 269 people.
The action is the latest in a series of high-profile enforcement measures by FSSAI as it intensifies its crackdown on food safety violations across the country. In recent weeks, the regulator suspended the licence of Westend Agro Products for alleged tampering with manufacturing and expiry dates and took action against a nutraceutical manufacturing unit operated by Dior Pharmaceuticals over Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) violations.
The latest suspension underscores FSSAI’s increasingly stringent enforcement approach as it seeks to strengthen compliance standards across India’s food manufacturing sector and reinforce consumer confidence in packaged food products.
