The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to several major food brands, including Nestlé India, KFC, and Flipkart, over allegations of selling contaminated products and operating in unhygienic conditions.
The notices were issued after the regulator took cognisance of social media complaints raised by consumers. The complaints alleged lapses in compliance issues by certain food businesses and brands, which recently went viral on social media.
The notices have been issued to Nestlé India for Maggi, KFC, Flipkart, and food brand Open Secret for alleged lapses. The apex food regulator acted suo motto after at least three separate complaints were made that were widely circulated online.
The notice to Nestlé has been reportedly on allegations that insects were found inside a packet of Maggi noodles, for which FSSAI has sought an Action Taken Report that includes details of the vendor, internal quality-check logs for the said batch, corrective measures taken to remove affected product from the supply chain and steps being implemented to prevent a recurrence of the issue.
Nestle refuted these claims, saying they categorically reject the allegations and have already submitted a detailed representation to the competent authorities.
The notice to KFC was issued to one of its outlets in MVR Mall in Andhra Pradesh's Eluru, after there were allegations made that the outlet was operating in unhygienic conditions. The regulator has sought details of deficiencies related to hygiene, sanitation, food handling, storage, waste management, pest control and employee hygiene, along with documentary evidence of corrective and preventive measures in this regard.
The third notice has been served to Open Secret's product—“Unjunked Dates”— over allegations that the product that was delivered through Flipkart Minutes, contained insects. FSSAI has sought internal quality-control records, details of corrective actions taken to remove the product from the supply chain and measures aimed at preventing similar incidents from both concerned parties.
