Amul rejects ‘live weevils’ claim in curd

Following action by Indian Railways over spoiled curd served on the Patna–Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express, dairy major Amul on Saturday rejected claims of “live weevils” in its product, stating that such contamination is “scientifically and operationally impossible” within its production cycle.

Amul was summoned on Friday by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to address serious quality concerns regarding the curd served onboard.

The company said it held a comprehensive meeting with IRCTC and clarified its position on food quality. “Our detailed audit of the entire value chain revealed no deviations or non-conformities at any stage. Furthermore, it was determined that the specific batch in question was not supplied to the train through Amul’s authorised distribution network,” it said.

“Our dahi is produced in ISO-certified plants where standard operating procedures are strictly followed,” the company asserted. It added that weevils cannot survive or reproduce in curd due to the absence of oxygen and its acidic nature, suggesting that the contamination “likely originated from an infested serving tray provided by the onboard vendor rather than the product itself”.

Following a passenger complaint, Indian Railways on March 25 imposed a penalty of Rs 60 lakh on IRCTC and the catering service provider for lapses in onboard catering. IRCTC was fined Rs 10 lakh for service deficiencies, while the private contractor was penalised Rs 50 lakh and directed to terminate its contract.