DNA: Are chip companies only pretending to do quality checks? How is such a major oversight happening?

Himachal Pradesh: A man in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, brought home a packet of LAYS chips for his two-year-old child, but when he tore open the packet, he found several insects inside. A large insect was crawling in the corner of the packet. What would have happened if this insect had not been spotted in time? What would have happened if the child had eaten this insect stuck to the chips? It’s not that this packet of chips was expired. The shop from which the LAYS chips packet was purchased had received the delivery from the company just two days prior.

Insect Found in Chips Packet

The expiry date on the chips packet is 17 July 2026. This incident occurred today in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh. It could happen in your city tomorrow. This raises the question of how the world’s largest and most famous company can be so negligent. The LAYS company sells chips worth 7 thousand crore rupees annually in India. It sells billions of packets of chips, big and small, every year. It sells chips in more than 100 countries worldwide. How can such negligence occur? Especially when most of these are consumed by children.

Action Taken Previously

This is not the first case where a problem has been found in a LAYS packet. In December 2024, the LAYS company in the USA recalled approximately 6400 packets of chips, meaning they were withdrawn from the market. A warning was also issued stating that if anyone had mistakenly purchased them, they should discard them because substances posing a life-threatening risk were found in these packets. In May 2023, LAYS issued a similar warning regarding hundreds of packets in some US cities.

Incident Raises Concern

In March 2026, the company also issued such a warning in several US cities. In 2025, the LAYS company in the Netherlands issued a warning regarding several packets. This means the world’s largest chips company has been negligent year after year, and once again a live insect has been found in a packet. Following this incident, the food supply officer has ordered an investigation into the matter. However, this incident is a major warning for all of us.

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is a mountainous state in northern India, renowned for its scenic Himalayan landscapes, hill stations, and vibrant Tibetan Buddhist culture. Historically, it was comprised of numerous small princely states and came under British influence in the 19th century before becoming a full Indian state in 1971. Today, it is a major tourist destination, famous for sites like Shimla, Dharamshala (home of the Dalai Lama), and ancient temples such as those in the Kullu Valley.

Hamirpur

Hamirpur is a city and district in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India, historically known as a part of the Katoch dynasty’s kingdom of Kangra. Its history is marked by its role in the resistance against Mughal expansion and, later, by its significant contributions of soldiers to the Indian Army. Today, it is often called the “Land of the Warriors” and is also a growing educational hub with institutions like the National Institute of Technology Hamirpur.

USA

The United States of America is a federal republic founded in 1776 after declaring independence from Great Britain. Its history spans from indigenous civilizations, through European colonization, to becoming a global superpower shaped by immigration, territorial expansion, and ideals of democracy and

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is a mountainous state in northern India, renowned for its scenic Himalayan landscapes, hill stations, and vibrant Tibetan Buddhist culture. Historically, it was composed of numerous small princely states and came under British influence in the 19th century before becoming a full Indian state in 1971. Today, it is a major tourist destination, famous for sites like Shimla, Dharamshala (home of the Dalai Lama), and ancient temples such as those in the Kullu Valley.

Hamirpur

Hamirpur is a city and district in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India, historically known as a part of the Katoch dynasty’s kingdom of Kangra. Its modern significance grew as a major educational hub and a center for recruitment into the Indian armed forces. The area is also noted for its traditional festivals and temples, reflecting its long-standing cultural heritage.

USA

The United States of America is a federal republic founded in 1776 after declaring independence from Great Britain. Its history is marked by westward expansion, the Civil War, and its emergence as a global superpower in the 20th century. Culturally, it is a diverse nation of immigrants, known for its significant global influence in areas like technology, entertainment, and democratic ideals.

Netherlands

The Netherlands, historically known for its innovative water management and global trade influence during the Dutch Golden Age, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Its cultural identity is deeply shaped by its historic struggle against the sea, its artistic legacy from masters like Rembrandt and Van Gogh, and its longstanding reputation for tolerance and mercantile spirit.

Shimla

Shimla is a picturesque hill station in northern India, originally established as a British colonial summer retreat in the early 19th century. It later served as the summer capital of British India from 1864 until independence in 1947. Today, it is a popular tourist destination known for its colonial-era architecture, scenic mountain views, and historic Kalka-Shimla Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dharamshala

Dharamshala is a hill station in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, historically known as a British colonial-era summer retreat. It gained global significance after 1959 when it became the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile and the official residence of the Dalai Lama, making it a major center for Tibetan Buddhism and culture.

Kullu Valley

Nestled in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, the Kullu Valley is a scenic Himalayan region historically known as “Kulanthapitha,” or the end of the habitable world. It has a rich cultural history as an ancient trade route and the former capital of the independent Kullu Kingdom, which was established around the 1st century AD. Today, it is renowned for its vibrant festivals—most notably the week-long Kullu Dussehra—apple orchards, and as a gateway for trekking and adventure tourism.

Kangra

Kangra is a historic town in Himachal Pradesh, India, renowned for the ancient Kangra Fort, one of the oldest and largest forts in the Himalayas. The fort’s origins trace back over a millennium, having been a stronghold of the Katoch dynasty and witnessing numerous invasions, including by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1009 AD. The region is also famous for its distinct Pahari painting style and the revered Brajeshwari Devi Temple, which has been a major pilgrimage site for centuries.