FSSAI cracks down on Everest, Laljee Godhoo; prohibits sale of hing powder

Food regulator FSSAI has initiated action against Everest Food Products Private Limited and Laljee Godhoo and Company, prohibiting them from selling hing powder after samples were found to be substandard.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said on Saturday that it had issued prohibition orders against the two companies under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

In the case of Everest Food Products, FSSAI prohibited the sale of compounded asafoetida (hing powder) in all its variants with immediate effect until further orders.

According to the regulator, samples of Everest's compounded asafoetida were found to be "misbranded and sub-standard" by the Food Analyst of the primary food laboratory.

FSSAI said the alcohol soluble extract in one of the products was found to be 0.00 per cent, against the prescribed standard of not less than five per cent.

Samples of yellow hing powder and black hing powder were also found to be substandard. Their alcoholic extract levels were reported at 3.29 per cent and 4.4 per cent, respectively.

Surveillance samples were also found to be non-compliant for the alcoholic extract parameter during routine surveillance.

According to FSSAI, testing of asafoetida samples collected from different sources and locations showed consistent non-compliance, with the products having less than five per cent alcoholic extract.

The regulator also referred to previous compliance reviews involving other Everest products. Non-compliances had been identified in chicken masala, garam masala and egg curry powder, including the non-declaration of salt content exceeding five per cent and the non-declaration of spice content on the label.

"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 has directed the company to submit an action plan to rectify what it described as the continued malpractice of selling sub-standard compounded hing or asafoetida. The company has also been asked to ensure that products sold comply with standards under the FSS Act, 2006.

FSSAI warned that further action could follow if the issues are not rectified.

FSSAI has taken similar action against Laljee Godhoo, prohibiting the company from selling hing powder after samples were found to be sub-standard and adulterated.

According to the regulator, samples of compounded hing or compounded asafoetida, in both powder and lump forms, did not meet the prescribed requirements under the FSS (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.

"The samples of Compounded Hing / Compounded Asafoetida (Powder and Lump) were found to be sub-standard and not conforming to the prescribed requirements under the FSS (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. The compounded Hing samples were also found to be misbranded and Sub-standard," FSSAI said.

The regulator also found problems with the raw hing varieties used to manufacture compounded hing. The samples were found to be sub-standard due to excess starch.

Under the prescribed standard cited by FSSAI, starch content in hing should not exceed 1 per cent by weight.

Laljee Godhoo has also been directed to submit an action plan explaining how it will rectify the malpractice and ensure that only products meeting the required standards are manufactured and sold.