Dead Ants in Zepto-Delivered Maggi Spark Food Safety Concerns Across India

In a video that has gone viral on Instagram, a Zepto customer claims that unanticipated and unsanitary dead ants were included in her order of Maggi noodles from Zepto Cafe. For those unaware, Zepto Cafe is a quick-commerce food delivery service that provides ready-to-eat meals and drinks in ten minutes.

The video, which has received over 2.4 million views and is still generating discussion online, depicts four bowls of Maggi, one of which is empty, and the others are partially eaten. Viewers can see several dead ants sunk at the bottom of the bowls as the camera zooms in. Numerous users have expressed disapproval of Zepto's fast-delivery kitchen hubs' safety, quality assurance, and food handling procedures in response to the disturbing images.

“@zeptonow this is disgusting. However, I’m shocked to see their cafe still operating with deceptive offers like ‘Buy 1 get 1 free’ – serving food with insects is unacceptable!" the customer wrote in the caption.

Since its initial release on June 3, the video has amassed over 2.4 million views, more than 18,000 likes, and hundreds of comments. One of them was a reply from Zepto Now, the company's official Instagram account, which read,

“Hey! At Zepto, we take quality seriously, and we regret any inconvenience caused if this product doesn’t meet your expectations. Please DM us your order details so we can address this promptly at Zepto speed!"

However, the customer was not satisfied with the response.

She replied, “Zepto, we did receive our refund, and we appreciate that. But what about the food we consumed? These happened to be ants—but what if it had been a cockroach or something worse? This is not just about one bad order; it’s a matter of basic hygiene and health. Fast delivery is great, but not at the cost of food safety. People could get seriously ill."

The internet is buzzing with comments. Some of them are criticizing Zepto, and on the other hand, some users are making fun of it.

A user commented, "dude I found red ants in my maggi packet once".

Another user commented, "They are worried for your health, so they added extra protein. You should appreciate it ".

Many viewers are now concerned about whether the quick-delivery food model prioritizes speed over sanitation as a result of the exchange. Consumers, meanwhile, may become more cautious of online food purchases, affecting the credibility and growth of the quick-commerce sector.

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