Priyagold biscuit maker’s license suspended for allegedly using cattle-feed bran as raw material

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on Saturday suspended the licence of Priyagold biscuit manufacturer Surya Food and Agro Limited for using cattle-feed bran as a raw material.

During an inspection, the regulator found that bran meant for cattle feed and not intended for human consumption was being used as a source of fibre.

In a post on social media, it added that legal proceedings have been initiated against the company for several food safety violations relating to plant hygiene, pest control, raw material storage and segregation, personnel hygiene, premises maintenance, and the handling of intermediate formulations.

The company has not yet responded to the regulator’s action.

The regulator has also initiated prosecution proceedings against Dodla Dairy Limited and UEIR Organic Foods Private Limited for alleged food safety violations.

A sample of Dodla Dairy’s full-cream milk was found to contain detergent or caustic soda and also failed to meet the prescribed milk-fat specifications. Yellow raisins sold by UEIR Organic Foods were found to contain pesticide residues.

The action came amid a recent crackdown by food regulators on food adulteration and misleading advertisements.

On October 3, the food regulator said that a sample of Nestlé’s low-fat dairy whitener collected from The LaLiT hotel in Delhi’s Connaught Place was found to be “unsafe and substandard”.

The regulator had directed that the...

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