Regulatory crackdown in West Bengal: food safety violations lead to licence suspension
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken strict enforcement action against two food manufacturers in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, suspending their licences on September 6. The action follows a comprehensive inspection that uncovered extensive non‑compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Kalash Formulation was found lacking in basic sanitation infrastructure. The plant did not provide adequate hand‑washing stations, changing rooms, or personal hygiene amenities for its workforce. Records of medical fitness, immunisation status and personal hygiene for food‑handling personnel were missing. Moreover, the company could not produce essential quality‑control documentation, including laboratory test results, equipment calibration sheets, and certificates of analysis.
Physical observations revealed poor lighting, deteriorating plaster on walls, inadequate waste‑disposal practices, and improper storage of expired raw material. No preventive‑maintenance logs or sewage‑disposal records were on file, indicating a systemic neglect of operational standards.
Packaging protocols were also breached. The firm failed to furnish food‑grade certification or migration reports for the PET bottles and caps used in its packaging process, violating mandatory packaging regulations.
The audit of Sanycure Water Project exposed similar deficiencies. Inspectors reported substandard hygiene, ineffective pest‑control measures and a noticeable rodent problem. Hand‑washing facilities and toilet hygiene were insufficient, and several processing machines showed signs of rust due to missed servicing.
Key regulatory documents were absent, including pest‑control agreements, employee health and vaccination records, control sample registers, consumer complaint logs, CAPA files and vehicle‑cleanliness checklists. Water‑testing reports, raw‑material analysis certificates, and approved vendor documentation were also unavailable. One water‑test laboratory record appeared to have been digitally altered, a serious breach that prompted immediate licence suspension.
FSSAI reiterated that food business operators must adhere to stringent safety, hygiene and documentation standards. The authority warned that any compromise to consumer health will trigger continued strict regulatory oversight and possible further penalties.