The suspension shall remain in force until the FBO implements comprehensive corrective measures, including effective sanitation and hygiene practices, pest control, waste management, infrastructure repairs, staff training, and demonstrates full compliance with the FSS Act, 2006 and applicable regulations
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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday said it has taken strict action against VKC Nuts and Chheda Specialities Foods over serious food safety violations. The food safety regulator also said that it continues to maintain strict enforcement across food sectors to protect consumers’ health. It has suspended the license of Chheda Specialities Foods and partially suspended the license of VKC Nuts, it added in a social media post.
In the case of VKC Nuts Pvt Ltd (Uttar Pradesh), the food business operator’s licence has been “partially suspended” after serious food safety violations and critical non-compliances were observed. The food safety authority said live insects and heavy black mould was found in the finished goods and raw material storage areas. Also, the storage was found to be unhygienic with rat droppings and food remains eaten by pests at multiple locations besides rusted and damaged machinery were being used in the processing area. It noted in a social media post that critical non-compliances of various kinds were observed including lack of proper segregation of raw material (RM), discarded products, WIP (Work in Process), intermediate products and finished goods, (FG). Several raw material cartons did not bear batch number, date of manufacture or expiry date, expired cranberry raw material was also found stored in the finished goods storage area, among others. Food handlers were also not found to be observing correct hygienic practices.
“The overall compliance score of the unit has been recorded as 38 per cent indicating significant deficiencies in the food safety management system, which may pose a grave and imminent risk to public health and safety and may result in unsafe food entering the market,” it noted.
The food safety authority said it has also suspended the licence of Chheda Specialities Foods (Maharashtra) with immediate effect in the interest of public health and food safety. The suspension shall remain in force until the FBO implements comprehensive corrective measures, including effective sanitation and hygiene practices, pest control, waste management, infrastructure repairs, staff training, and demonstrates full compliance with the FSS Act, 2006 and applicable regulations, it added.
The food safety regulator outlined various violations including unhygienic practices of food handlers, roof leakages, extensive fungal growth in edible oil storage tanks, grossly inadequate waste management and unlabelled food containers among others.
“Multiple food samples collected during previous inspections had been declared “Unsafe” or “Misbranded”, with legal proceedings in those cases still ongoing, indicating a history of recurring food safety and regulatory non-compliances. The inspection recorded a critical non-compliance score of 42 per cent (36/86), indicating significant deficiencies in the food safety management system and posing a potential risk to public health and safety,” it added in its social media posts.
Published on August 8, 2026
