New Delhi, August 13: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suspended the licenses of three food business operators to safeguard consumer health and food safety. The regulatory body stated that these companies were found guilty of making misleading claims, maintaining extremely poor hygiene standards, and serious violations of food safety regulations, which posed risks to public health.
FSSAI announced on the social media platform X that the licenses of A.B. Enterprises from Meghalaya, Jaika Organics (OPC) Private Limited from Odisha, and Narayani Foods and Beverages were suspended following inspections and regulatory actions.
In the case of A.B. Enterprises, FSSAI discovered that the company was making health benefit claims on its product labels and promotional materials, violating the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018. The investigation also revealed that the company was operating without the necessary manufacturing approval as required by its FSSAI license.
According to the regulator, the company was issued a notice for corrective action and given an opportunity for a personal hearing to present its case. However, no response or clarification was provided by the company. FSSAI stated that such claims could mislead consumers and influence their purchasing behavior. Consequently, the company has been instructed to halt all food business activities until further notice.
On the other hand, Jaika Organics (OPC) Private Limited was found to have significant cleanliness and sanitation deficiencies during an inspection of its facility. FSSAI reported that food products were being manufactured, packaged, and stored in unsanitary conditions. Additionally, issues related to poor housekeeping, pest control, rusted equipment, improper storage of raw materials and finished products, and lack of essential controls in production processes were identified.
The inspection also revealed that some products and materials lacked critical information such as manufacturing dates, batch numbers, and expiration dates. The company scored only 10 out of 90 in compliance evaluation, which is just 12 percent, placing it in the ‘non-compliance’ category.
FSSAI stated that such conditions could introduce physical, chemical, and biological risks in food, directly threatening public health. Therefore, the company’s license was suspended with immediate effect.
Similarly, Narayani Foods and Beverages faced strict action as well. The inspection found extremely poor hygiene practices and serious deficiencies in the food safety management system at the company’s production facility. During the investigation, flies, spider webs, pest entry points, algae near water sources, rusted equipment, and waste accumulation near food materials were observed in processing and storage areas.
Moreover, the storage arrangements for finished products did not meet standards, and several deficiencies were found in the record-keeping process. FSSAI discovered that essential records related to food safety training and control samples were also unavailable.
Narayani Foods and Beverages received a compliance score of only 20 out of 80, which is 25 percent, categorizing it as ‘non-compliance’ as well.
FSSAI emphasized that due to serious violations of mandatory hygiene and sanitation standards and the resulting food safety risks, the company’s license was suspended immediately.
The regulator clarified that there will be no compromise on public health and food safety, and strict actions against violators will continue.
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