FSSAI suspends Kolkata bakery major Switz Foods' licence over unhygienic manufacturing, pest infestation

Food regulator FSSAI has suspended the licence of Switz Foods Pvt Ltd due to violations of food safety rules at its manufacturing unit.

In a social media post on Saturday, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said it has suspended the licence of Switz Foods following "serious non-compliances" observed during the inspection of its manufacturing unit.

"Food was being manufactured, packed and stored in unhygienic conditions, posing a high risk of contamination and compromising food safety," the FSSAI said.


Hence, the regulator said the FSSAI licence has been suspended.

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Further, the FSSAI has asked the company to immediately cease all food business activities until it rectifies all deficiencies and complies with the rules to the satisfaction of the competent authority under the FSS Act, 2006.

Elaborating on the default, the FSSAI pointed out that the overall cleaning and sanitation of the premises were unsatisfactory.

"Unhygienic conditions were observed in the crate washing area, reception area, washing area, and carrot cutting machine," the regulator said.

On other discrepancies, the FSSAI said equipment, machinery, HDPE crates, trays, trolleys, moulds, and heated kettles were not adequately cleaned and maintained.

The regulator also observed significant pest infestation, including flies, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and cobwebs, on walls, broken floor tiles, and greasy corners.

"Raw materials and semi-finished food products were not properly covered. Dustbins in food handling areas, and drainage systems were not fitted with proper lids," it said.

The FSSAI pointed out that the company did not do proper segregation between raw materials and finished products. Segregation between vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items were also not maintained.

Also read: FSSAI suspends licence of Dior Pharmaceuticals for violations at nutraceutical plant

Kolkata-based Switz Foods, incorporated in 1991, manufactures bakery products including breads, cakes, cookies, buns and rusks, and operates as part of Switz Group, a Dubai-headquartered bakery ingredients and products conglomerate with a presence across nine countries. The company employed around 269 people as of last year and reported operating revenue in the Rs 100-500 crore range for the financial year ended March 2024.

The action against Switz Foods comes amid a wider FSSAI enforcement push in recent weeks. The regulator had earlier suspended the licence of Westend Agro Products for alteration of manufacturing and expiry dates and fraudulent relabelling, and had also acted against a nutraceutical manufacturing unit in Punjab over GMP violations.

With inputs from PTI