India’s food regulator has started legal proceedings against the maker of Priyagold biscuits after finding that cattle feed bran was being used to make them. Two other companies, Dodla Dairy and UEIR Organic Foods, are also facing prosecution for serious food safety violations.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) announced the action in a social media post on Saturday. It said it had “initiated legal proceedings for prosecution” against all three companies.
Cattle feed in biscuits
The biggest action is against Surya Food & Agro, which sells Priyagold biscuits. FSSAI inspected the company’s facility after a consumer complaint and found serious problems in how food was being made and handled.
According to the regulator, bran meant for cattle feed, and not fit for human consumption, was being used as a raw material in the biscuits. The company was using it as a source of fibre. The gunny bags holding the bran were clearly marked to show it was intended for cattle feed.
The inspection also turned up several hygiene and safety lapses. These included poor plant hygiene, weak pest control, improper storage and separation of raw materials, lapses in personnel hygiene, poorly maintained premises, and unsafe handling of intermediate formulations.
FSSAI had already suspended the company’s licence after the inspection revealed serious non-compliance. It has now moved a step further by starting prosecution.
Dodla Dairy’s milk found unsafe
In a separate case, FSSAI has initiated prosecution against Dodla Dairy over a sample of its full cream milk. A regulatory sample was collected and sent for analysis. The Food Analyst declared it substandard because it did not meet the prescribed milk fat specifications.
The company appealed, and the sample was sent to the Referral Food Laboratory. The lab’s findings were more serious. It confirmed the milk was unsafe because of the presence of detergent or caustic soda, and substandard because its milk fat was below the minimum limit.
These findings established violations relating to unsafe and substandard food under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The competent authority has granted sanction to start prosecution against Dodla Dairy and the other food business operators involved in making and marketing the product. Further proceedings for unsafe and substandard food have been directed.
Pesticide residues in raisins
The third action is against UEIR Organic Foods. The regulator found pesticide residues in a sample of yellow raisins sold by the company, which has also led to prosecution proceedings.
Why it matters
The three cases show FSSAI taking a firmer line on companies that break food safety rules. They also point to risks that consumers rarely see: the raw materials going into everyday products, the conditions in which food is made, and what may be present in items as ordinary as milk and dried fruit.
For Priyagold in particular, the case is likely to draw attention because biscuits are a staple for millions of households, and the allegation involves an ingredient never meant for human consumption.
The regulator’s steps are meant to send a message to manufacturers that compliance with food safety standards is not optional. Licence suspension and prosecution are among the tools it can use against companies that fall short.
FSSAI has not detailed what penalties the companies could face, and the legal process is expected to take its course. The companies’ responses to the allegations were not included in the regulator’s announcement.
Consumers who have concerns about any food product can raise complaints with FSSAI, as the Priyagold case itself began with a consumer complaint that led to the inspection.