Key Update

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suspended the licence of Ganesh Products Private Limited with immediate effect after inspectors found serious and critical food safety violations at its food manufacturing premises.

Poor Sanitation and Pest Infestation

Inspectors found the overall cleaning and sanitation of the premises highly unsatisfactory. Dirt, soil and dark matter had accumulated across processing and storage areas, while algae or fungal growth was also visible. The inspection team also found cockroaches, rodents, flies and cobwebs in several areas. The finished-product storage area lacked adequate space and ventilation, with products improperly stacked and stored too close to walls.

Rusted Equipment and Improper Food Storage

Most production containers showed signs of rust and had unwanted material deposited on them. Inspectors also found expired and unlabelled food materials stored alongside finished products. Waste, old stock, rejected lots, and scrap materials had accumulated in food-handling areas, creating additional food safety risks.

7,600 Kg Paneer Destroyed

The inspection found three operational paneer manufacturing units, but no food business operator, owner, manager or authorised representative was present at the premises. The units did not display an FSSAI licence or registration certificate or a required signboard. Authorities found around 7,600 kg of paneer stored under grossly unhygienic conditions, including soiled containers and unclean platforms. The administration destroyed the entire quantity on the spot to prevent it from re-entering the food chain.

Pest Control Failures

The inspection also revealed significant pest infestation in finished-product and packaging-material storage areas. Officials found dead mice, cockroaches, rodents and flies. The premises lacked rodent-control boxes, while the available pest-control equipment was non-functional.

Missing Testing and Food Safety Records

The company could not produce appropriate testing records for control samples covering one year or the products’ shelf life. Inspectors also identified several infrastructure deficiencies, including flaking paint, dampness, broken floor tiles and damaged corners across the premises. Several food safety and quality-management procedures and records were also missing. These included:

• Mock recall records
• Jewellery policy
• Proper handwashing facilities
• Consumer complaint records
• Internal training records
• Internal and external audit records

Other Materials Found at the Premises

During the enforcement action, officials also detected milk powder, fabric whitener, industrial-grade bleaching agent, refined palm oil, soybean and poster white colour at the premises.

Four Paneer Samples Sent for Testing

Authorities later inspected another paneer manufacturing unit at Village Nai. The inspection team collected four paneer samples from the four units and properly packed, sealed and labelled them for laboratory analysis. Based on the serious deficiencies observed during the inspection, FSSAI suspended the licence in the interest of public health. The suspension will remain in force until further orders.

Source: NDTV