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Everest banned from selling hing powder, food regulator finds product ‘sub-standard’
The FSSAI also pointed out the non-declaration of salt content exceeding 5% and non-declaration of spice content on the label on various spice mixes.
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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday prohibited Everest Food Products Pvt Ltd and Laljee Godhoo and Company from selling certain hing powder products after samples were found to be 'sub-standard'.
The food regulator said the hing samples were found to be non-compliant on the parameter of alcoholic extract and cited multiple discrepancies in the products.
Compliance issues flagged in Everest Food's hing powder
FSSAI said samples of compounded asafoetida (hing powder) manufactured by Everest were found to be “misbranded and substandard” by the food analyst at the primary food laboratory.
FSSAI also flagged the non-declaration of salt content exceeding 5% and the non-declaration of spice content on the labels of Chicken Masala, Garam Masala and Egg Curry Powder.
The regulator further said it had found “consistent non-compliance” in samples of asafoetida collected from various sources, with the products found to be substandard because they contained less than the prescribed 5% alcoholic extract.
“In view of the above contraventions, the sale of articles in question, i.e. ‘Compounded Asafoetida’ with all its variants, is hereby prohibited with immediate effect till further orders,” FSSAI said.
The regulator directed Everest Food Products to submit an action plan for the “rectification of the continued malpractice of selling sub-standard Compounded Hing/Asafoetida” and ensure that standard products are sold in accordance with its licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
FSSAI warned that further action would be initiated under the Act, rules and regulations if the company failed to provide a satisfactory explanation or comply with the directions.
FSSAI action against Laljee Godhoo
In a separate action, FSSAI prohibited Laljee Godhoo and Company from selling compounded hing products after samples were found to be substandard and not in conformity with the prescribed requirements under the FSS (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
“The samples of Raw Hing Varieties A, B, C, D, E and F, used in the manufacture of Compounded Hing, were found to be sub-standard due to the presence of excess starch,” FSSAI said.
Under Regulation 2.9.29, starch content in hing must not exceed 1% by weight.
The regulator said the non-compliances were considered pervasive across batches of compounded hing.
Laljee Godhoo and Company has also been prohibited from making further sales of the compounded hing products.
