Chocolates and Other Foods Fail Quality Checks, Says FSSAI

Nearly one in every five food samples tested in India in 2024–25 including popular chocolate brands did not meet the required safety and quality rules. This information was shared by the government in the Lok Sabha, based on data from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

FSSAI’s nationwide checks found that chocolates were one of the top food categories with the highest rate of non-compliance. This means many chocolate products were either unsafe, wrongly labelled, or did not meet quality standards.

How the Testing Was Done

The FSSAI, along with state and union territory food authorities, runs regular inspections and surprise checks under programmes like the National Annual Surveillance Plan (NASP). In 2024–25:

• Over 1.7 lakh food samples were tested

• 34,388 failed the tests

• 31,407 legal cases were filed against violators

The results were similar to the previous year, when over 33,800 samples failed. FSSAI says strict legal action is taken against food businesses that break the rules. This includes fines, license suspension, or even shutting down operations in serious cases.

E-Commerce Food Under Watch

With online food shopping growing fast, FSSAI is keeping a closer eye on e-commerce platforms. In July, the regulator warned major online food sellers about “severe action” if they failed to follow rules. During a meeting with more than 70 representatives, FSSAI CEO G. Kamala Vardhana Rao instructed platforms to:

• Show their FSSAI license/registration number on every bill, receipt, or cash memo

• Share warehouse and storage details on the FoSCoS portal

• Mention the Food Safety Connect App for consumers

• Consider showing expiry dates in online listings

Training and Licensing for Safety

Under the FoSTaC programme, hygiene training is now mandatory for all food handlers including delivery staff. Also, all warehouses linked to e-commerce food must be registered or licensed with FSSAI. FSSAI says these steps will improve consumer safety and make the food market more transparent, especially as packaged foods like chocolates, snacks, and ready-to-eat meals dominate both online and offline sales.

To get regular Food Industry updates, feel free to join our WhatsApp group: Joining link