I found something unsafe in packaged food. Should I complain to FSSAI or file a consumer case?

I bought a packaged snack and found a foreign object inside it. What's the right way to complain — FSSAI or the consumer commission? Before I spend money on it, I want to know whether Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, Section 26 gives me a remedy here and what proof I would need. Any Section numbers I can quote when I write to them would be useful.

Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, Section 26 and Consumer Protection Act 2019, Section 2(11) is what decides this question in India. Read it alongside the provisions named, because the relief available to you turns on the facts you can prove on paper.

The Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 regulates safety and quality standards for food; violations can be reported to the local Food Safety Officer or via FSSAI's online grievance portal.

Selling unsafe or adulterated food is both a statutory offence under the FSS Act and can independently be pursued as deficiency in service or an unsafe good under consumer law.

You can pursue both remedies simultaneously — a regulatory complaint to FSSAI for enforcement action against the manufacturer, and a consumer complaint for your personal compensation.

Under FSS Act penalties can include substantial fines and, for grossly unsafe food causing injury or death, imprisonment, decided by the designated Food Safety Adjudicating Officer or courts.

Preserve the product, packaging with batch number, and receipt, since these are essential for any FSSAI lab testing or consumer forum evidence.

Practical steps: 1) Preserve the food item, packaging and batch/lot number without consuming further; 2) File a complaint with the local Food Safety Officer or through FSSAI's online portal; 3) Simultaneously file a consumer complaint for compensation for any harm or distress caused; 4) Seek medical attention and documentation if you suffered any illness from the product.

If the other side has already issued a notice, filed a case or set a deadline, treat the matter as time-sensitive — remedies under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, Section 26 carry limitation periods, and unexplained delay weakens an otherwise strong case. You can post the details on the MyVakeel forum for a practising advocate to review, or book a paid consultation with a Bar Council verified lawyer in consumer law.

Disclaimer: This information is for general awareness and does not constitute legal advice. Statutes and their interpretation change, and outcomes depend on the facts of your case. Please consult a qualified advocate before acting on it.