To protect consumer interests and ensure food safety, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued Prohibition of Sale orders for Compounded Hing (Asafoetida) manufactured by two prominent spice brands — M/s Everest Food Products Private Limited and M/s Laljee Godhoo and Company (LG Brand Unit).
The action follows a consumer complaint regarding the quality of Compounded Hing sold under a specific brand. The FSSAI subsequently launched comprehensive market surveillance covering major brands. Initial laboratory test reports found Compounded Hing products from both Everest and LG to be substandard, according to a statement released by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Legal Samples Collected From Everest, LG Units
The FSSAI collected legal samples directly from the centrally licensed units of M/s Everest Food Products Private Limited and the LG Brand Unit, both located in Mumbai. The samples were sent to a primary laboratory for testing.
The FSSAI also collaborated with the Gujarat State FDA for a joint inspection and sampling exercise at Everest Food Products Private Limited's state-licensed unit in Umbergaon, Gujarat.
The primary laboratory confirmed that all legal samples of Compounded Hing collected during these operations were substandard.
Hing Samples Found Below Prescribed Standard
Under the FSS (Food Products Standards and Additives) Regulations, 2011, Compounded Hing is an admissible category made by blending Raw Hing, Gum Arabic, starches and flours. The regulations require sufficient Raw Hing to ensure at least 5% alcohol soluble extract in the final Compounded Hing product.
Laboratory tests found that the Compounded Hing samples contained only 0-3% alcohol soluble extract, significantly below the mandatory 5% minimum. This indicated that the products contained 30-40% less of the required Raw Hing.
The FSSAI also collected samples of six varieties of Raw Hing alongside finished products at the LG Brand Unit in Mumbai. While FSSAI standards prescribe a maximum starch content of 1% in Raw Hing, laboratory tests found starch levels ranging from 15% to 32% in all six LG varieties, classifying them as substandard.
Under the regulations, Raw Hing must also contain a minimum of 12% alcohol soluble extract.
FSSAI Orders Sale Halt, Seeks Action Plan
After multiple batches of Compounded Hing were found to be non-compliant with established quality standards, the FSSAI formally issued Prohibition of Sale orders to M/s Everest Food Products Private Limited, Mumbai, and the LG Brand Unit, Mumbai.
The administrative action is a preventive measure aimed at safeguarding public health and protecting consumer interests.
The FSSAI has also directed the food business operators concerned to submit comprehensive action plans outlining how they will rectify the identified practices and ensure the production of standard Compounded Hing.
The manufacturers have further been advised to voluntarily recall all substandard products currently available in the market.
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