New Delhi, June 13: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to several prominent food and retail businesses, including Nestlé India, KFC, Flipkart and food brand Open Secret, following allegations related to contaminated products and hygiene concerns that gained widespread attention on social media.
According to officials familiar with the matter, the regulator took of multiple consumer complaints that went viral online and sought detailed explanations from the companies regarding their compliance with food safety standards.
One of the notices was issued to Nestlé India after allegations surfaced that insects were found inside a packet of Maggi noodles. FSSAI has reportedly sought an Action Taken Report detailing the source of the product, batch-level quality checks, corrective measures taken to remove potentially affected products from the market and steps implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Responding to the allegations, Nestlé India strongly denied the claims, stating that the reports were based on an unverified account and that the complainant had not provided a sample of the product for examination. The company said it had already submitted a detailed response, including quality records, test reports and findings from batch and market sample analyses, to the relevant authorities.
Another notice was served to a KFC outlet located in MVR Mall in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru following allegations that the restaurant was operating under unhygienic conditions. The food regulator has sought information regarding hygiene practices, sanitation standards, food handling procedures, storage conditions, waste disposal systems, pest control measures and employee hygiene protocols, along with evidence of corrective action taken by the outlet.
FSSAI has also sought explanations from Open Secret and Flipkart over complaints that a package of Open Secret’s “Unjunked Dates,” delivered through Flipkart Minutes, allegedly contained insects. The regulator has requested internal quality-control records, details of product recall or removal measures and preventive actions aimed at ensuring such incidents do not recur.
Officials said the notices are part of FSSAI’s ongoing efforts to strengthen consumer protection and ensure compliance with food safety regulations. The authority is currently reviewing responses from the companies and may take further action based on the findings of its inquiry.
The developments highlight the increasing role of consumer feedback and social media in prompting regulatory scrutiny of food safety and quality standards across India’s rapidly growing food and e-commerce sectors.
