India Takes Action Against Two Food Companies Over Safety Violations

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) India's Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) has issued prohibition orders against two companies, M/s Everest Food Products Private Limited and M/s Laljee Godhoo and Company, over food safety violations.

The orders relate to violations involving the manufacture and sale of compounded hing, or asafoetida.

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The FSSAI prohibited Everest Food Products from selling compounded asafoetida and its variants after laboratory tests found the products to be misbranded and substandard.

One sample had an alcohol-soluble extract of 0 per cent, compared with the required minimum of 5 per cent. Yellow hing powder and black hing powder were also found to be sub-standard, with alcohol-soluble extracts of 3.29 per cent and 4.4 per cent, respectively.

The regulator said routine surveillance also found non-compliance with the required alcohol-soluble extract levels. Previous reviews had identified other labelling violations involving Everest's Chicken Masala, Garam Masala and Egg Curry Powder, including failures to declare salt and spice content as required.

FSSAI said testing of asafoetida samples collected from different locations showed a consistent pattern of products falling below the required standard.

The sale of compounded asafoetida and all its variants by Everest has been prohibited with immediate effect until further orders. The company has been directed to submit an action plan to address the violations and ensure that only compliant products are manufactured and sold.

Laljee Godhoo and Company

FSSAI also prohibited M/s Laljee Godhoo and Company from selling compounded hing and compounded asafoetida after samples were found to be misbranded and substandard.

Samples of compounded hing and asafoetida, including powder and lump varieties, were found not to meet the requirements under the FSS (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.

The regulator also found that six varieties of raw hing used in manufacturing the products contained excessive starch. Under the applicable regulations, starch in hing must not exceed 1 per cent by weight.

FSSAI said the non-compliance appeared to affect multiple batches, based on market surveillance, legal sampling and testing of the raw materials used in production.

The sale of compounded asafoetida and compounded hing by Laljee Godhoo and Company has been prohibited with immediate effect until further orders. The company has also been directed to submit an action plan and take measures to ensure that only products meeting food safety standards are manufactured and sold.

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