Regulatory oversight on India's packaged food sector intensified sharply today as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) took decisive enforcement action. According to reports, the regulator has suspended the manufacturing licence of the maker of Priyagold biscuits and initiated legal proceedings following the detection of severe quality compromises at its facilities.
Cattle-Feed Bran Found in Biscuit Production
The core catalyst for the regulatory crackdown involves the unapproved substitution of standard baking ingredients. As per reports, the FSSAI discovered that bran explicitly intended for cattle feed was being utilized as a raw material in the commercial production of Priyagold biscuits.
Using animal-grade input components in human food manufacturing represents a gross violation of statutory safety frameworks. Consequently, the food safety watchdog moved swiftly to halt operations by suspending the company's manufacturing licence and sanctioning formal prosecution.
Plant Hygiene and Operational Deficiencies Flagged
Beyond the alarming discovery of cattle-feed bran, the regulatory inspection uncovered a systemic breakdown in factory management. Details on this aspect indicate that the FSSAI flagged multiple critical deficiencies during its evaluation of the manufacturing premises.
The flagged violations span several key operational areas:
- Plant hygiene and sanitation standards
- Pest control measures
- Raw material storage protocols
- Personal hygiene compliance among workers
- Overall manufacturing practices
These compounded failures paint a picture of widespread non-compliance, elevating the enforcement action from a routine quality penalty to a major safety prosecution.
Broader Crackdown on Food Safety Violations
The action against the Priyagold manufacturer is part of a broader, aggressive enforcement sweep by the regulatory body. According to reports, the FSSAI has moved to take action against a total of three to six firms concurrently. This wave of regulatory interventions includes separate, severe flags, such as the reported detection of detergent in milk products from Dodla Dairy, signaling a zero-tolerance approach by authorities toward adulteration and compromised consumer health standards across the Indian food industry.