The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday, 17 October 2026, announced it has initiated legal prosecution proceedings against Surya Food & Agro Ltd, the manufacturer of the popular Priyagold Biscuits brand, for allegedly using bran marked for cattle feed as a raw material in biscuit production. The regulator also suspended the company's FSSAI licence following what it described as 'serious noncompliances' observed during inspection at the firm's facility in New Delhi.

What the Inspection Found

The FSSAI said the inspection was triggered by a consumer complaint. During the visit, officials discovered that gunny bags of bran — clearly labelled as intended for cattle feed and not for human consumption — were being used as a fibre source in biscuit manufacturing. The regulator noted that 'the gunny bags containing the bran were marked to indicate that the material was intended for cattle feed.'

Beyond the cattle-feed bran issue, inspectors flagged a range of additional deficiencies, including failures in plant hygiene, pest control, raw material storage and segregation, personnel hygiene, premises maintenance, and the handling of intermediate formulations. The breadth of violations points to systemic rather than isolated lapses in the facility's food safety practices.

Licence Suspended, Prosecution Sanctioned

Following the inspection findings, the FSSAI licence of Surya Food & Agro Ltd was suspended. The competent authority subsequently granted sanction for initiating prosecution against the company for the stated violations under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006. This marks a significant escalation beyond routine notices, signalling the regulator's intent to pursue the case through the legal system.

Dodla Dairy Also Faces Prosecution

In the same announcement, the FSSAI revealed it has separately initiated prosecution proceedings against Dodla Dairy Limited and Ueir Organic Foods Pvt Ltd for serious food safety violations. A regulatory sample of Full Cream Milk collected from Dodla Dairy was declared substandard by a food analyst due to non-conformity with prescribed milk fat specifications. Upon appeal by the Food Business Operator (FBO), the sample was referred to the Referral Food Laboratory, which confirmed the sample was unsafe due to the presence of detergent/caustic soda and also substandard on account of milk fat falling below the minimum prescribed limit.

The laboratory findings established violations relating to unsafe and substandard food under the FSS Act, 2006. The competent authority granted sanction for prosecution against Dodla Dairy and other concerned FBOs associated with the manufacture and marketing of the product.

Notices to Other Firms

Additionally, the FSSAI issued notices to Narpadham Foods, Sun Ridges Health Carers, and Sha Kantilal Jayantilal in connection with separate food safety concerns. The authority did not specify the precise nature of the violations at these three firms in its statement.

Broader Implications for Food Safety

This cluster of enforcement actions reflects a stepped-up posture by the FSSAI following consumer complaints and targeted inspections. Notably, the Priyagold case is particularly alarming given the wide retail reach of the brand — biscuits are among India's most commonly consumed packaged foods, often purchased by children and lower-income households. The Dodla Dairy case, involving detection of caustic soda in milk, is equally serious given the public health risk posed by chemical adulterants in a staple daily product. Both cases underscore the importance of robust end-to-end supply chain oversight rather than reliance solely on end-product testing.