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Pune’s thumb in laddu incident raises serious questions on food safety protocols in sweets industry
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Wednesday, 25 June, 2025, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Abhitash Singh, Mumbai
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In a disturbing incident that has shaken public trust in traditional Indian sweet production, a severed human thumb was allegedly found inside a laddu purchased from a well-known sweet shop in Pune The incident has prompted an immediate investigation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, and triggered widespread concerns regarding hygiene and safety practices in the unorganised sector of the Indian sweets and snacks industry.
The laddu in question was part of a sweets purchased from a popular outlet in Pune. The customer, a local resident, claimed to have found a partially severed human thumb embedded within the sweet after breaking it at home. Photos of the laddu and the foreign object have gone viral on social media, putting the spotlight on the shop and its production practices.
The shop owner admitted that one of the workers lost part of his thumb while operating a machine during production, but the batch was allegedly not discarded or flagged. The customer has filed a complaint with the local police, and a formal case has been registered under Section 272 and 273 of the IPC (Adulteration and sale of noxious food items).
Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner, FDA, Pune Region said, Our team questioned the owner and staff of the hotel to determine the sequence of the events. Samples have been collected and an inquiry has been initiated into possible violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Strict action will be taken after probe.”
Annapure further added,"This is a gross violation of food safety protocols and reflects criminal negligence. We are investigating whether the FSSAI licence was active and if GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) were being followed.
This incident has put the spotlight on thousands of unorganised and semi-organised sweets and savouries units in India that often bypass safety regulations due to low oversight and manual processing practices.
According to food safety experts:
- Most mithai shops do not have proper Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for worker safety or contamination checks.
- Lack of automated machinery, training, and traceability systems make such incidents likely — especially during festive rush periods.
Industry stakeholders are now calling on FSSAI and state FDAs to:
- Mandate third-party audits for sweet production units during festival seasons.
- Ensure worker safety protocols are integrated with food safety SOPs.
- Improve traceability mechanisms, especially for loose and non-packaged food.
With the traditional Indian sweets industry valued at ?55,000 crore annually, the sector forms a significant part of the Indian F&B ecosystem but remains largely informal.
The Pune 'thumb-in-laddu' case is not just a one-off — it’s a wake-up call for regulators, manufacturers, and consumers. Strict enforcement, investment in hygienic production, and real accountability are the need of the hour to ensure India's beloved mithai remains both tasty and safe.
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