FSSAI Suspends Licences of Two Food Companies
Food regulator cites serious hygiene lapses and food safety violations at facilities in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra
- FSSAI suspended licences of VKC Nuts and Chheda Specialities Foods.
- Inspections found serious hygiene and food safety violations.
- Pest infestation, mould and unsafe food handling were reported.
- Licences will remain suspended until compliance is restored.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 8th Aug: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suspended the licences of VKC Nuts Private Ltd in Uttar Pradesh and Chheda Specialities Foods Pvt Ltd in Maharashtra with immediate effect after inspections uncovered serious food safety and hygiene violations.
According to the regulator, inspections at VKC Nuts revealed live insects in stored pistachios, extensive mould and fungal growth, rodent droppings, pest-damaged food products, rusted machinery and poor sanitation. Officials also found expired cranberry stock, ineffective pest-control measures and raw material cartons without proper batch or expiry details. The unit received a compliance score of 38 per cent, prompting FSSAI to partially suspend its licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
At Chheda Specialities Foods, inspectors reported unhygienic food handling practices, including workers mixing besan dough with bare hands and handling food near decomposing waste. The inspection also found fungal growth around edible oil storage tanks, roof leakages, stagnant water, damaged flooring, poor waste management and inadequate pest control.
FSSAI said the Maharashtra-based unit scored 42 per cent in compliance, while several food samples collected during earlier inspections had already been declared “unsafe” or “misbranded”, with legal proceedings underway.
The regulator said Chheda Specialities Foods’ licence will remain suspended until it completes corrective measures related to sanitation, infrastructure, pest control, waste management and staff training, and demonstrates compliance with food safety standards.
FSSAI said it will continue strict enforcement across the food sector to safeguard consumer health and ensure compliance with food safety regulations.
