FSSAI suspends licences of two food firms over hygiene, pest control violations
New Delhi, Aug 9 (TNT) : The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suspended the food business licences of VKC Nuts Pvt Ltd and CHHEDA Specialities Foods Pvt Ltd over serious violations related to hygiene and pest control.
The action followed inspections of the companies’ manufacturing facilities in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, respectively, where food safety deficiencies were found, the regulatory said in a release on Saturday.
FSSAI said the enforcement action was part of its continuing efforts to protect consumer health and strengthen compliance across the food sector.
At the VKC Nuts facility in Uttar Pradesh, inspectors found live insects in pistachios, fungal and mould growth, rodent droppings and pest-damaged stock.
The inspection also flagged inadequate cleaning and maintenance of equipment and other hygiene-related deficiencies.
At the CHHEDA Specialities Foods facility in Maharashtra, inspectors found serious sanitation and pest-control lapses, including poor waste management, stagnant water, roof leakage and unhygienic food-handling practices. Fungal growth was also reported around edible-oil storage areas.
The licences have been suspended with immediate effect, requiring the concerned units to address the identified deficiencies before resuming operations, according to reports on the enforcement action.
The action comes amid a wider enforcement drive by FSSAI against food businesses found violating safety and hygiene requirements.
The regulator has also taken action against other food and nutraceutical manufacturing units in recent days over similar compliance concerns.
TNT TS
