India's Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a directive to CG Foods India, the manufacturer behind the popular Wai Wai noodles, to cease production of specific Indian snack products. This decisive action follows an inspection where authorities discovered broken noodles, collected directly from the factory floor, were being reprocessed into bhujia without undergoing essential heat treatment.
FSSAI Uncovers Hygiene Violations at Rajasthan Plant
The regulatory action targeted a manufacturing facility operated by CG Foods India in Rajasthan. The company is a subsidiary of CG Corp Global, a conglomerate headed by Nepali billionaire Binod Chaudhary, widely recognized as the "Noodle King" for his success with the Wai Wai instant noodle brand. Inspectors specifically focused on two Wai Wai-branded bhujia products during their investigation.
During the raid, FSSAI officials not only identified the unsanitary reprocessing practices but also seized a significant quantity of products. Nearly 32,000 kilograms of stock were confiscated from the premises. Furthermore, inspectors uncovered 1,925 boxes of finished products that had already expired.
Following these findings, legal proceedings have been initiated against the food business operator, and samples have been collected for comprehensive testing to further assess product safety and quality.
Wider Food Safety Crackdown Across India
This enforcement against CG Foods India is part of a broader, intensified crackdown by food safety authorities across the nation. Regulators are actively scrutinizing hygiene and quality standards at various food establishments, including eateries, outlets, and major restaurant chains.
Recent weeks have seen similar regulatory actions against other prominent brands. In Maharashtra, food safety officials conducted a raid on a warehouse in Navi Mumbai, where they found expired and nearly expired products from major companies such as Nestle, Unilever, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo. Officials reported discovering chemicals and machinery allegedly used to alter expiry dates and print new nutrition labels on packaging.
Maharashtra FDA chief Tukaram Mundhe has garnered attention for his rigorous enforcement of hygiene and safety protocols. Last month, his department suspended the licenses of four Domino's Pizza and one Pizza Hut outlet following statewide inspections that revealed multiple violations. The FSSAI's latest move against Wai Wai's bhujia production underscores the ongoing national effort to ensure public health and food safety standards are met by manufacturers.