# Gurugram man finds live worm in salad at PAUL bakery 2026-08-24T02:51:14+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A Gurugram man, Sulabh Mathur, said he found a live worm in a Caesar salad at PAUL bakery's Horizon Centre outlet on Tuesday. Mathur posted a video on Instagram showing the worm in the half-eaten dish and described the incident as 'extremely disturbing and concerning', alleging that food hygiene at the outlet was 'compromised'. PAUL India issued an apology on social media, saying the incident was 'absolutely not our standard' and that it takes food safety seriously. A representative also reached out to Mathur on WhatsApp, offering to personally apologise and stating that the outlet was investigating the matter to ensure it is not repeated. Mathur dismissed the apology as a 'standard draft reply' and alleged that PAUL was trying to move on without taking the issue seriously. Social media users reacted with a mix of shock and humour, with some sharing their own negative experiences at the chain, while one noted that worm infestations in vegetables are common during the monsoon. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Mathur's video went viral quickly because food safety failures at premium-priced chains like PAUL erode the trust that drives their business model. The brand's response, a social media apology followed by a private WhatsApp message, is typical crisis management, but the customer's dismissal of it as a 'draft reply' shows how easily such moves backfire without visible corrective action. The real test is what PAUL does next: a public recall of ingredients, a third-party audit of the Horizon Centre kitchen, or a temporary closure for deep cleaning. Gurugram's health department can also step in with an inspection, and if they find violations, a fine under the Food Safety and Standards Act could follow. Watch for whether Mathur files a formal complaint or the local authority acts suo motu, as that will force a concrete outcome beyond the viral post. ## Coverage - livemint.com Reports the complaint and response without adding opinion or taking sides This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Gurugram, PAUL, Sulabh Mathur Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/gurugram-man-finds-live-worm-in-salad-at-paul-bakery/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/gurugram-man-finds-live-worm-in-salad-at-paul-bakery/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/