The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ( FSSAI ) cracked a whip on Everest Food and Laljee Godhoo after compliance issues were allegedly found in their compounded hing powder (Asafoetida) products.
The food regulator has banned the sale of compounded hing with all its variants with immediate effect till further orders as it cited multiple discrepancies found in the samples. The FSSAI has now directed the Everest Food to submit an action plan for ‘rectification of the continued malpractice of selling sub-standard Compounded Hing/Asafoetida’ and ensure sale of standard products as licensed under the FSS Act, 2006. Similarly, the samples of hing from Laljee Godhoo were found to be ‘sub-standard’ and ‘not conforming to the prescribed requirements under the FSS (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011’.
“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 FSSAI said, adding that the products violated the provisions of the FSS (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, as the Alcohol Soluble Extract obtained was 0.00% against the prescribed standard of not less than 5%. “In case of no satisfactory explanation or compliance, further action shall be initiated as per the Act, Rules and Regulations,” it said.
