The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken regulatory enforcement action against M/s Everest Food Products Private Limited and M/s Laljee Godhoo and Company, issuing prohibition orders over the sale and manufacture of compounded asafoetida (hing) found to be sub-standard and, in certain cases, misbranded.
The action has been taken under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, following regulatory sampling, market surveillance and laboratory test results.
Prohibition Order Against Laljee Godhoo and Company
In the case of M/s Laljee Godhoo and Company, FSSAI found samples of Compounded Hing/Compounded Asafoetida, including powder and lump forms, to be sub-standard and not conforming to prescribed requirements under the FSS (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
The compounded hing samples were also reported as misbranded and sub-standard.
FSSAI further found that raw hing varieties A, B, C, D, E and F, used in the manufacture of compounded hing, were sub-standard due to excessive starch. According to the regulatory requirement cited in the order, starch in hing must not exceed 1% by weight.
The regulator considered the non-compliances to be pervasive across batches, based on market surveillance, legal sampling and non-conforming test reports of raw materials used in manufacturing.
As a result, the sale of Compounded Asafoetida/Compounded Hing by M/s Laljee Godhoo and Company has been prohibited with immediate effect until further orders.
The company has also been directed to submit an action plan addressing the identified malpractice and ensuring that only standard-compliant products are manufactured and sold.
Prohibition Order Against Everest Food Products
FSSAI has also issued a prohibition order against M/s Everest Food Products Private Limited concerning the sale of Compounded Asafoetida (Hing Powder) and its variants.
According to the findings cited in the order, samples of compounded asafoetida were found to be “misbranded and sub-standard” by the Food Analyst of the primary food laboratory.
📢 Be Aware, We never charge any consultancy fee for jobs.
📲 Foodtech Network WhatsApp Jobs Group
Click to join the WhatsApp group
👥Free Membership (For Jobs, Internship and Training)
Membership registration
⚙️ Food Entrepreneurs & Startups (For business owners)
Our services (Free and Paid)
📱 Food safety training and certification.
Check our training portal and enroll now
One of the key findings concerned the alcohol-soluble extract, which was reported at 0.00%, against the prescribed standard of not less than 5%.
Samples of Yellow Hing Powder (Compounded Asafoetida) and Black Hing Powder (Compounded Asafoetida) were also reported as sub-standard, with alcoholic extract levels of 3.29% and 4.4%, respectively.
Surveillance samples collected during routine surveillance activities were also found to be non-compliant with respect to the alcoholic extract parameter.
Previous Compliance Issues Also Cited
The prohibition order against Everest Food Products also refers to previous regulatory compliance reviews involving products such as Chicken Masala, Garam Masala and Egg Curry Powder.
The cited deficiencies included non-declaration of salt content exceeding 5% and non-declaration of spice content on the label.
FSSAI also noted consistent non-compliance in testing of asafoetida samples collected from different sources and locations, with the goods reportedly found to be sub-standard due to having less than 5% alcoholic extract.
Sale Prohibited With Immediate Effect
In view of the reported violations, FSSAI has prohibited the sale of Compounded Asafoetida and its variants by Everest Food Products Private Limited with immediate effect until further orders.
The Food Business Operator (FBO) has been directed to submit an action plan for rectification and to ensure that standard-compliant products are sold as licensed under the FSS Act, 2006.
The order further states that if a satisfactory explanation or compliance is not provided, further action may be initiated in accordance with the Act, Rules and Regulations.
What This Means for Food Businesses
The regulatory action highlights the importance of maintaining compliance with prescribed food composition standards, raw-material specifications, product quality and labelling requirements.
For manufacturers of compounded spices and asafoetida products, the case also underscores the need for robust raw-material testing and effective quality-control systems to ensure that finished products consistently meet applicable FSSAI standards.
📢 Be Aware, We never charge any consultancy fee for jobs.
📲 Foodtech Network WhatsApp Jobs Group
Click to join the WhatsApp group
👥Free Membership (For Jobs, Internship and Training)
Membership registration
⚙️ Food Entrepreneurs & Startups (For business owners)
Our services (Free and Paid)
📱 Food safety training and certification.
Check our training portal and enroll now
