Chocolates among 20% of food samples found substandard: Govt

NEW DELHI: Nearly 20% of food samples, including chocolates, were found to be non-conforming (to the desired standards) in surveys carried out by the food regulator in 2024-25, government told Lok Sabha.

Junior minister for health Prataprao Jadhav said Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) - India's apex food regulator - through its four regional offices and state/UT food safety authorities, conducts regular localised and targeted special enforcement and surveillance drives, including National Annual Surveillance Plan (NASP), inspections and sampling activities, throughout the year.

If any deviations from the standards or violations to Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR) are observed, the defaulting food business operators (FBOs) are subject to regulatory action, including punitive measures.

In a written reply to a Parliament question, Jadhav said 1.7 lakh food samples were analysed in 2024-25. Of these, 34,388 were found to be non-conforming and cases were launched in 31,407 cases.

In 2023-24 too, approximately 1.7 lakh samples were analysed and 33,808 of them were found to be non-conforming, the minister said.