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FSSAI Issues Notices to Nestle, KFC, Flipkart and Open Secret Amid Rising Food-Safety Complaints
In early June 2026, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) sent formal notices to four high‑profile companies—Nestlé India, KFC India, Flipkart, and health‑food brand Open Secret—after a wave of social‑media complaints alleging hygiene and contamination issues in packaged foods and quick‑commerce deliveries.
The notices do not signal a finding of wrongdoing. Instead, they initiate a fact‑finding process that will determine whether the companies have complied with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The FSSAI has described the notices as the first step in a broader investigation that will review the companies’ supply chains, storage practices and quality‑control records.
The complaints that prompted the notices come against a backdrop of a sharp rise in the regulator’s intake of food‑safety grievances. Parliamentary data shows that FSSAI received 7,705 complaints in fiscal year 2025, resolving 5,952 of them. In FY 2023, the regulator logged 4,330 complaints and addressed 4,074. Complaints against online food‑delivery platforms have climbed steadily: 7,482 in FY 25, 4,708 in FY 24, 4,321 in FY 23, 3,726 in FY 22 and 805 in FY 21, totaling 21,042 over the last five fiscal years.
Experts attribute the increase to a larger and more complex food ecosystem, heightened consumer awareness of rights, and the amplification power of social‑media platforms. A single viral post can trigger regulatory scrutiny and reputational damage before an investigation is complete.
The FSSAI’s response reflects a broader push toward stronger enforcement. Chaired by Punya Salila Srivastava and led by chief executive officer Rajit Punhani—appointed in September 2025—the authority operates under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, headed by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda. In recent months the regulator has intensified surveillance, directing food businesses to discontinue the use of metallic pins and wires in packaging and warning against wrapping food in newspapers because of contamination risks.
Punhani has urged states to bolster food‑safety infrastructure and to fill vacancies among Food Safety Officers and Designated Officers, citing the growing strain on regulatory capacity. The FSSAI maintains 22 referral laboratories, 72 state laboratories and 112 NABL‑accredited private laboratories.
Nestlé India’s notice stems from allegations that insects were found inside a packet of Maggi noodles. The company said the claim originated from an unverified social‑media account and that the individual could no longer be contacted. Nestlé tested samples from the same batch in an FSSAI‑notified laboratory, which found no evidence of infestation. The company also supplied quality records and laboratory findings to regulators. Nestlé India is led by chairman and managing director Manish Tiwary.
KFC India’s notice relates to hygiene lapses at a restaurant outlet. Because the franchise model spreads operations across thousands of locations, maintaining consistent hygiene remains a continual challenge. The notice also highlights the difficulty of assigning accountability in a fragmented supply chain that now includes dark stores and rapid‑delivery networks.
Flipkart’s notice reflects the rapid expansion of India’s quick‑commerce ecosystem. Products now pass through dark stores and rapid‑delivery systems before reaching consumers, making temperature management, storage conditions and handling practices critical variables.
Open Secret, a health‑food brand, was also named in the notices after a consumer complaint about contamination. The regulator is seeking batch records, supplier information and corrective measures from all four companies.
The notices arrived just as Nestlé India’s shares fell about 3 % in intraday trading on June 12, 2026, after the FSSAI issued the notice. The drop reflects market sensitivity to food‑safety controversies.
The episode underscores a new reality for Indian food‑industry players: real‑time accountability. Consumers are increasingly documenting problems on social media, regulators are acting faster, and companies must respond quickly to protect reputation and comply with evolving standards. The FSSAI’s heightened enforcement and the rising volume of complaints signal that food safety is no longer a compliance issue but a trust issue for brands.
The current situation remains under investigation. The regulator is still gathering evidence, and the companies have not yet issued final statements. Investors and consumers will watch for the outcome of the fact‑finding process, any potential penalties, and the broader implications for food‑safety regulation in India.
The notices do not signal a finding of wrongdoing. Instead, they initiate a fact‑finding process that will determine whether the companies have complied with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The FSSAI has described the notices as the first step in a broader investigation that will review the companies’ supply chains, storage practices and quality‑control records.
The complaints that prompted the notices come against a backdrop of a sharp rise in the regulator’s intake of food‑safety grievances. Parliamentary data shows that FSSAI received 7,705 complaints in fiscal year 2025, resolving 5,952 of them. In FY 2023, the regulator logged 4,330 complaints and addressed 4,074. Complaints against online food‑delivery platforms have climbed steadily: 7,482 in FY 25, 4,708 in FY 24, 4,321 in FY 23, 3,726 in FY 22 and 805 in FY 21, totaling 21,042 over the last five fiscal years.
Experts attribute the increase to a larger and more complex food ecosystem, heightened consumer awareness of rights, and the amplification power of social‑media platforms. A single viral post can trigger regulatory scrutiny and reputational damage before an investigation is complete.
The FSSAI’s response reflects a broader push toward stronger enforcement. Chaired by Punya Salila Srivastava and led by chief executive officer Rajit Punhani—appointed in September 2025—the authority operates under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, headed by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda. In recent months the regulator has intensified surveillance, directing food businesses to discontinue the use of metallic pins and wires in packaging and warning against wrapping food in newspapers because of contamination risks.
Punhani has urged states to bolster food‑safety infrastructure and to fill vacancies among Food Safety Officers and Designated Officers, citing the growing strain on regulatory capacity. The FSSAI maintains 22 referral laboratories, 72 state laboratories and 112 NABL‑accredited private laboratories.
Nestlé India’s notice stems from allegations that insects were found inside a packet of Maggi noodles. The company said the claim originated from an unverified social‑media account and that the individual could no longer be contacted. Nestlé tested samples from the same batch in an FSSAI‑notified laboratory, which found no evidence of infestation. The company also supplied quality records and laboratory findings to regulators. Nestlé India is led by chairman and managing director Manish Tiwary.
KFC India’s notice relates to hygiene lapses at a restaurant outlet. Because the franchise model spreads operations across thousands of locations, maintaining consistent hygiene remains a continual challenge. The notice also highlights the difficulty of assigning accountability in a fragmented supply chain that now includes dark stores and rapid‑delivery networks.
Flipkart’s notice reflects the rapid expansion of India’s quick‑commerce ecosystem. Products now pass through dark stores and rapid‑delivery systems before reaching consumers, making temperature management, storage conditions and handling practices critical variables.
Open Secret, a health‑food brand, was also named in the notices after a consumer complaint about contamination. The regulator is seeking batch records, supplier information and corrective measures from all four companies.
The notices arrived just as Nestlé India’s shares fell about 3 % in intraday trading on June 12, 2026, after the FSSAI issued the notice. The drop reflects market sensitivity to food‑safety controversies.
The episode underscores a new reality for Indian food‑industry players: real‑time accountability. Consumers are increasingly documenting problems on social media, regulators are acting faster, and companies must respond quickly to protect reputation and comply with evolving standards. The FSSAI’s heightened enforcement and the rising volume of complaints signal that food safety is no longer a compliance issue but a trust issue for brands.
The current situation remains under investigation. The regulator is still gathering evidence, and the companies have not yet issued final statements. Investors and consumers will watch for the outcome of the fact‑finding process, any potential penalties, and the broader implications for food‑safety regulation in India.
