Blade Found in Flight Meal Prompts FSSAI to Issue Notice to TajSATS

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken a decisive step by issuing an improvement notice to the flight catering service, TajSATS, following a concerning incident where a passenger discovered a blade-like object in their meal during an Air India flight from Bengaluru to San Francisco on June 9. This alarming find prompted an immediate inspection of TajSATS Bengaluru, the source of the in-flight meal, by FSSAI officials.

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FSSAI CEO Kamala Vardhana Rao confirmed the action, stating that the inspection led to the discovery of the blade originating from an automatic vegetable cutter. The blade had inadvertently become lodged in a vegetable piece, raising serious questions about food safety protocols at the catering facility. As a consequence, TajSATS has been given a 15-day period to address and rectify the cited deficiencies as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Air India, along with its catering partner TajSATS, both of which fall under the Tata Group's ownership, expressed deep regret over the incident. The airline clarified that the foreign object was traced back to the vegetable processing machinery used at TajSATS' facilities. In response to this incident and in compliance with FSSAI's directives, TajSATS is now mandated to implement several corrective measures aimed at preventing such occurrences in the future. These measures include the installation of X-ray machines for food scanning and reverting to manual chopping of vegetables. Additionally, there will be an enhancement in the inspection and maintenance routines to ensure such lapses are avoided.

This is not an isolated case of FSSAI's intervention in airline catering services. The authority previously issued an improvement notice to another major airline, Indigo, highlighting its proactive stance on maintaining stringent food safety standards across the board. FSSAI has also been actively engaging with various airlines and their food suppliers in a series of meetings to emphasize the importance of adhering to food safety norms.

The incident sheds light on the critical need for rigorous food safety measures within the airline catering industry. It underscores the importance of continuous oversight by regulatory bodies like FSSAI to safeguard passenger health and ensure compliance with established food safety standards.