The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued warning notices to numerous food business operators for alleged violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. These actions target misleading brand and trade names, unsubstantiated product claims, labeling irregularities, and other consumer complaints. The regulatory body has directed the implicated companies to implement corrective measures and adhere to food safety and consumer protection standards. FSSAI publicly shared a comprehensive list of the food businesses involved on the X platform.
Several specific cases highlighted by FSSAI include:
- Pluckk Mango Juice: Advertised as “No Added Sugar,” the ingredient list revealed it contained 51% mango pulp and 49% sugarcane juice.
- Natural Paneer: The brand’s use of the name “Natural Paneer” was deemed a violation of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2018.
- Gaur Healthy Food – Silken Tofu: Despite prior warnings, the product used an unauthorized “100% Vegetarian” slogan. It also featured unsubstantiated nutritional claims like “rich in vitamins” without specific value declarations and prohibited therapeutic claims such as “anti-cancer properties.”
- MasterChow Foods – Ramen Noodles: Criticized for using terms like “100% Natural” and “Freshly Made” on packaging, the product was marketed as made with “high-quality organic flour,” yet the ingredients listed “premium quality white flour.”
- Ferrero India Private Limited – Kinder Joy: The claim “Rich in Milk Solids” was questioned as the product’s composition does not support milk solids being a predominant component of the confectionery.
- ATOM PWR Whey XL by Medizen Labs: Marked for misleading claims such as “Pure and Healthy” and “100% Original,” its advertised benefits like “Easy Digestion” and “Fast Recovery” lacked necessary scientific substantiation.
- Saffola Total Heart Pro Cooking Oil: Faced criticism for potentially deceptive visuals and claims like “Heart Pro,” implying unauthorized heart health benefits. Claims related to “Good Fat Balance” and “Losorb” also required scientific evidence.
- ORVILLE – Mountain Bawarchi Buransh Squash: The label lacked the mandatory declaration of Buransh pulp percentage and included unapproved medicinal and disease-reducing claims.
- Nexa Industries – Alkaline Nutrient Water: The brand name and category “Alkaline Nutrient Water” are not standardized under Indian food safety regulations. The product also bore unauthorized health benefit claims.
- Raw Pressery – Alphonso Mango Fruit Drink: While the front label stated “naturally occurring sugars,” the ingredient list indicated fructose as an added sugar.
- Incipro Gold Powder Vanilla: This nutraceutical product was flagged for deceptive claims regarding its content of “100% hydrolyzed whey protein, neuro-nutrients, and probiotics.”
- Himalayan Organics Korean Ginseng: The supplement’s claim of “supporting energy and performance” was deemed misleading, and FSSAI noted that the recommended serving size exceeded permissible ingredient limits.
Furthermore, Bikanervala received a warning notice following a social media complaint regarding hygiene standards. The complaint alleged an employee was eating within the kitchen or service area during operational hours. The company was instructed to investigate, provide standard operating procedures for employee hygiene, detail corrective actions, and submit an Action Report.
Param Dairy Limited is also under scrutiny due to consumer complaints of mold contamination in their ‘dahi’ and ‘rabri’ products supplied through IRCTC catering services. The regulatory body requested details on the company’s product supply and stock management practices to prevent the sale of expired goods.
