FSSAI has ordered CG Foods India to stop production of Veg Bhujia Namkeen after inspectors reported floor-collected broken noodles being reprocessed, licensing violations, pre-dated packaging and other food-safety deficiencies. More than 32 tonnes of stock was seized during the inspection.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered CG Foods India Pvt. Ltd., the maker of Wai-Wai products, to stop production of its Veg Bhujia Namkeen following an inspection at the company's manufacturing facility in Roopangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan.
The enforcement action, announced on September 3, follows what the food regulator described as a series of serious food-safety, hygiene, licensing and packaging violations at the facility.
According to the findings reported by the regulator, inspectors found broken noodles that had been collected from the factory floor and were being reprocessed into bhujia. FSSAI also reported that the material was being reprocessed without heat treatment, raising concerns over the safety and hygiene of the process.
The inspection resulted in the seizure of 32,107.2 kg of stock, or more than 32 tonnes of material. The seized stock reportedly included loose broken noodles found at the premises.
Expired products and pre-dated packaging found
The inspection also uncovered 1,925 boxes of expired finished products, which were detained by the authorities.
FSSAI further reported the use of pre-dated packaging, adding another compliance concern to the case. Accurate manufacturing and packaging dates are an important part of food-product traceability and help consumers and regulators determine a product's shelf life.
The findings therefore go beyond a single manufacturing practice, with the regulator identifying multiple shortcomings at the facility.
Unlicensed Wai-Wai bhujia variants under scrutiny
FSSAI also identified two bhujia variants — Wai-Wai MaMa and Wai-Wai Mama Punte — that it said were being manufactured without the required licence.
The regulator cited Section 31(1) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which requires food businesses to obtain the appropriate licence before carrying out food manufacturing and related activities.
This means the action against CG Foods involves not only alleged hygiene failures but also questions surrounding the regulatory authorisation for certain products being manufactured at the facility.
Pest-control and hygiene records also flagged
Inspectors reportedly found deficiencies in the facility's food-hygiene systems and documentation.
Among the issues highlighted were inadequate pest-control records, alongside other shortcomings relating to hygiene and compliance documentation.
Taken together, the findings prompted FSSAI to initiate legal proceedings against the food business operator.
FSSAI collects samples for laboratory testing
The regulator has also collected several samples from the facility for laboratory analysis.
These reportedly include samples of loose noodle material, Veg Bhujia products, the identified bhujia variants, used cooking oil from the frying line and Wai-Wai Ready to Eat Noodles.
The laboratory results could prove important in determining whether further regulatory action is required.
At present, however, there is a crucial distinction between the inspection findings and laboratory confirmation. The reports available so far do not establish that all Wai-Wai products were contaminated or unsafe.
Wai-Wai noodles have not been banned
Despite some potentially misleading interpretations of the action, FSSAI has not announced a blanket ban on Wai-Wai noodles.
The reported direction specifically concerns the production of Veg Bhujia Namkeen at the inspected facility.
Wai-Wai Ready to Eat Noodles were among the products from which samples were collected, but there is no indication in the reported FSSAI action that the entire Wai-Wai noodle range has been prohibited from sale or production.
That distinction is important for consumers and retailers alike.
What happens next?
The immediate focus will now shift to the laboratory analysis of the samples collected during the inspection and the regulatory proceedings initiated against CG Foods.
If laboratory testing establishes violations of food-safety standards, the company could face additional action under the applicable provisions of India's food-safety law.
For now, the regulator's action represents a significant enforcement measure against one of the country's well-known packaged-food manufacturers, particularly because the inspection reportedly uncovered issues spanning manufacturing practices, hygiene, licensing, expired stock and packaging compliance.
The case also highlights the importance of traceability and hygienic handling in large-scale food manufacturing, where seemingly small lapses in processing or storage can have consequences across the supply chain.
For consumers, the key takeaway is simple: the current FSSAI action is against CG Foods' Veg Bhujia Namkeen production following the Ajmer inspection. It should not be interpreted as a ban on Wai-Wai noodles as a whole.