NEW DELHI: As reports of packaged food being infested with worms and fungus keep hitting the headlines, a survey on World Health Day 2025 revealed that 38 per cent of household consumers found the packaged food they purchased was infested with insects, etc.
Focusing on the safety of food that consumers buy, especially packaged food and drinks, and its direct impact on people’s health, the survey said 59% of household consumers are so fed up that they have shared that they are likely to altogether avoid a brand after experiencing a product infested with insects, fungus etc.
The survey by LocalCircles, a community social media platform, said that packaged foods infested with worms and fungus from popular brands continued to be reported, from ice cream and tetra pack juices to instant noodles.
A large number of consumers expressed concern about the health consequences of infested foods; the survey found that 9 in 10 surveyed want food regulators to conduct an audit and take strict measures to minimise such instances
The survey cited some examples: a centipede was reportedly found inside an ice cream tub, a dead rat was found in a chocolate-flavoured syrup bottle, and a dead frog was reportedly found in a packet of wafers.
Over 40,000 household consumers located in 341 districts of India were asked how many packaged food products they purchased in the last three years (opened before the expiry date) that were found to be infested with insects, fungus, or other contaminants.
While two per cent said over 10 products were found defective, nine per cent said seven to 10 products were found infested with insects and fungus. As many as seven per cent said 3-6 products were found defective, while 20% said 1-2 products were found unusable.
However, 51% of respondents added they “never have had such an experience with packaged food products in the last three years.”
“To sum up, 38% of household consumers surveyed say that in the last three years, they have had one or more instances where packaged food items (with future expiry date) purchased were infested with insects, fungus, etc.,” the survey said.
The survey, conducted among 62% men and 38% women, next asked the consumers, "If they find that a packaged food brand product they had bought was infested (insects, fungus, etc.), how likely are they to buy another product of the same brand?”
“Fifty-nine per cent of household consumers surveyed said they are likely to completely avoid a brand after experiencing a product infested with insects, fungus, etc., while 25% are likely to avoid that product in the future but not the brand,” the survey said.
It also found that 88% of household consumers surveyed want the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and state food departments to drastically increase their audit and enforcement activities throughout the supply chain to ensure that packaged food sold to consumers is not infested.
“In addition, people want an easy reporting mechanism to be created by FSSAI, which leads to action,” it added.
According to Sachin Taparia, founder of LocalCircles, consumers finding cockroaches, rodents, houseflies, lizards, etc., in the food served in restaurants does make news, particularly if it’s a popular place. However, when consumers find infested packaged food, the best they get is a refund from an eCommerce platform or retail store, that too after lots of back-and-forth. This is a big hassle."
“In India, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and its regulations address infested packaged foods, mandating that food businesses ensure food safety and prevent the sale of unsafe, misbranded, or substandard products, with penalties for violations. Consumer feedback indicates that the law is ineffective in terms of how packaged foods are handled, distributed, and stored,” he said in this paper.