The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched formal prosecution proceedings against three prominent food manufacturing companies following the discovery of severe safety violations during recent quality inspections. The regulator announced the action on Saturday, October 17, 2026, citing significant breaches of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. These investigations stem from laboratory analyses that confirmed the presence of hazardous substances and unauthorized materials in products ranging from biscuits to dairy and dried fruits.
The enforcement action specifically targets Surya Food & Agro, the manufacturer of Priyagold biscuits, Dodla Dairy, and UEIR Organic Foods. According to FSSAI officials, the decision to pursue legal recourse follows comprehensive laboratory findings that indicated these companies failed to meet national food safety and quality mandates. While the initiation of prosecution marks a significant escalation in regulatory oversight, the authority noted that these findings currently represent formal allegations and enforcement-based outcomes, rather than final court convictions.
Regarding Surya Food & Agro, inspections triggered by consumer complaints revealed that the company had been utilizing bran explicitly marked for cattle feed as a raw material and fibre source in its biscuit production. Beyond the unauthorized use of animal-grade ingredients, investigators reported a series of systemic deficiencies within the production facility. These lapses included inadequate pest control measures, poor plant hygiene, improper raw material storage, and substandard handling of both intermediate formulations and the manufacturing premises. Consequently, the regulator has previously suspended the company’s operating licence.
In a separate finding, laboratory analysis of a full cream milk sample from Dodla Dairy revealed critical safety concerns. After an initial report identified the milk as substandard due to insufficient milk fat content, the company appealed, leading to a secondary examination at a Referral Food Laboratory. This secondary test confirmed that the product was unsafe for human consumption, as it contained traces of detergent and caustic soda. Furthermore, the laboratory reaffirmed that the product failed to meet the mandatory minimum requirements for milk fat.
The third major enforcement action concerns UEIR Organic Foods Private Limited. Regulatory sampling of the company's yellow raisins indicated that the product contained pesticide residues well above the maximum permissible limits set by food safety standards. Laboratory tests identified the presence of nine specific pesticides, including Azoxystrobin, Fluopyram, Fluxapyroxad, Imidacloprid, Myclobutanil, Pyraclostrobin, Spirotetramat, Tebuconazole, and Thiamethoxam. Following these findings, the regulator moved to initiate legal action against the entity for selling unsafe food products.
The FSSAI has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a zero-tolerance policy regarding violations that threaten public health. Under the legal framework established in 2006, the regulator maintains that any compromise on safety standards by food business operators will be met with strict enforcement measures. Following the confirmation of the safety risks in the aforementioned products, the competent authority has granted the necessary sanctions to proceed with legal action against the management and associated operators of these firms.
Beyond these three specific cases, the regulator is continuing broader enforcement efforts across the industry. FSSAI has recently issued separate notices to other entities, including Narpadham Foods, Sun Ridges Health Carers, and M/s Sha Kantilal Jayantilal, addressing various concerns related to food hygiene, licensing requirements, and business-verification protocols. These regulatory steps highlight a growing emphasis on transparency and compliance within the Indian food processing sector. As the prosecution proceedings advance, the involved companies will be required to address these findings within the established legal framework of the Indian judicial system.
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