- FSSAI banned Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo from selling sub-standard hing powder
- Everest's compounded asafoetida samples had 0% alcohol extract against a minimum 5% standard
- Laljee Godhoo's hing powder was adulterated with excess starch exceeding the 1% weight limit
Food regulator FSSAI on Saturday said it has prohibited Everest Food Products Pvt Ltd and Laljee Godhoo from selling hing powder, which it found to be sub-standard.
In a social media post, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) informed that it has issued prohibition orders against Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo and Company as their products 'hing powder' were found to be sub-standard.
In the case of Everest, FSSAI has prohibited the sale of compounded asafoetida (hing powder) variants with immediate effect.
"The samples of Compounded Asafoetida (Hing Powder) were found to be 'Misbranded and Sub-standard' by the Food Analyst of the primary food laboratory," the regulator said.
The articles were found to be in contravention of the provisions of the FSS (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, wherein the alcohol soluble extract obtained was 0 per cent against the prescribed standard of not less than 5 per cent.
"The samples of Yellow Hing Powder (Compounded Asafoetida) and Black Hing Powder (Compounded Asafoetida) were also found to be Sub-standard, with Alcoholic Extract reported at 3.29 per cent and 4.4 per cent, respectively," it added.
The regulator has asked the company to submit an action plan to rectify continued malpractice of selling substandard compounded hing/asafoetida and ensure sale of standard products as licensed under the FSS Act, 2006.
It warned of further action if the company do not rectify mistakes.
In the matter of Laljee Godhoo, FSSAI said the company has been prohibited from selling hing powder, which it found to be sub-standard and adulterated, in contravention of FSSAI law.
"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," it added.
The samples of raw hing varieties used in the manufacture of compounded Hing were found to be sub-standard due to the presence of excess starch.
The starch content in hing shall not exceed 1 per cent by weight.
FSSAI has asked Laljee Godhoo to submit an action plan for rectification of the malpractice and measures to ensure that only standard products are manufactured and sold in accordance with the FSS Act.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
