A live rat jumped out a sealed bread packet at the country’s premier medical institute All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), prompting the authorities here to ban the manufacturer/ supplier for the next three years.
“The rat was found inside a sealed packet of brown-hi fibre bread manufactured by M/s Bonn Nutrients. The medical institute has now banned the bread maker for three years. Also, the company failed to submit a satisfactory reply to the showcause notice issued to it,” said a senior AIIMS official.
According to the official, AIIMS issued a notice to Bonn Nutrients on September 24, in which it mentioned the incident [which took place in July] and barred it from supplying any orders for a period of three years.
The Hindu has a copy of the notice served to the manufacturer, which reads: “A live rat was found on 29.07.2015 in the sealed packet of brown-hi fibre bread slice manufactured by M/s Bonn Nutrients Pvt. Ltd and the company has failed to submit satisfactory reply to the showcause notice dated 09.09.2015”.
The bread is served to patients admitted in various wards, including those who have undergone surgery or are suffering from severe infections. According to doctors, consumption of rodent-infected food can lead to allergy, fever, diarrhoea, besides causing blood infection and meningitis.
“The company has also failed in keeping good manufacturing practice. The quality wing of the company has failed in detecting such incident before the supplies are packed in cartons,” added the notice issued by AIIMS.
Bonn Nutrients, a Punjab-based company, produces a variety of food products including breads, biscuits, cakes and cookies that are not only sold in India but in the international market as well.
Several attempts to get a reaction from the company proved futile.
The bread is served to patients, including those who have undergone surgery or are suffering from severe infections. According to doctors, consumption of rodent-infected food can lead to allergy, fever, diarrhoea, besides causing blood infection and meningitis
