FSSAI is prosecuting Priyagold’s maker for using cattle-feed bran in biscuits

What's going on here?

On 17 October 2026, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India posted that it has begun prosecution against Surya Food & Agro, the company behind Priyagold biscuits, following inspections that found serious compliance gaps. Regulators said bran intended for cattle feed and not labelled for human use was being used as a raw material in biscuit production as a source of fibre. The visit also raised concerns about hygiene, upkeep of the premises, and how semi-finished mixes were stored and handled. FSSAI had already suspended the firm’s licence after those non-compliances surfaced. In parallel announcements the same day, the authority said it sanctioned prosecution against Dodla Dairy after referral-lab tests confirmed detergent or caustic soda in a full-cream milk sample that also fell short on milk fat, and against UEIR Organic Foods after pesticide residues showed up in yellow raisins.

What does this mean?

Packaged biscuits sit in millions of school bags and office pantries, so regulators treat fibre claims and ingredient sourcing as safety issues, not just marketing. Animal-feed grade inputs carry different contamination and handling rules than food-grade wheat bran. When auditors find that line crossed, the response escalates from licence suspension to court-backed prosecution. The Dodla and raisin cases show the same enforcement wave is testing liquid dairy and dried fruit imports, not only salty snacks. For grocers and distributors, suspended licences can force sudden delistings until courts or fresh audits clear a plant.

Why should I care?

If you buy Priyagold or other Surya Food brands, watch store shelves and company statements for recalls or reformulation notices while the case moves. Parents packing biscuits for children may prefer brands with recent clean audit disclosures during this enforcement cycle. Retailers should verify supplier licences before festive bulk orders. Investors in listed FMCG names should read these actions as part of FSSAI’s wider October push on labels, infant foods, and state-level warehouse raids, not as an isolated biscuit headline.