Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 30: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has imposed a temporary ban on the sale of asafoetida (hing) manufactured by Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo after laboratory tests revealed the products to be of substandard quality.
The food safety regulator has directed both companies to provide explanations for the regulatory violations and submit detailed action plans to ensure compliance with prescribed standards. The manufacturers have also been advised to voluntarily recall the substandard batches currently in the market, with the ban remaining in effect until the norms are met.
In addition to the hing, FSSAI identified non-compliance issues in three other products from Everest—egg curry masala, chicken masala, and garam masala. However, no ban has been imposed on these specific spice blends.
According to an FSSAI statement, the regulatory action was initiated following a consumer complaint that prompted widespread surveillance of leading hing brands. Samples collected from the manufacturing units of both companies in Mumbai, as well as Everest’s facility in Umbergaon, Gujarat, failed to clear the laboratory tests.
Existing guidelines mandate that compounded hing—a blended powder mixed with edible starches or flour for convenient daily use—must contain a minimum of 5 per cent alcohol-soluble extract. FSSAI noted that the tested samples contained only 0 to 3 per cent, indicating that the manufacturers utilised 30 to 40 per cent less raw hing than the required regulatory threshold.
Furthermore, six varieties of raw hing collected from the Laljee Godhoo unit were found to contain massive starch levels ranging between 15 and 32 per cent, grossly exceeding the permissible maximum limit of 1 per cent.
This crackdown coincides with FSSAI's recent submission to the Supreme Court, proposing the introduction of a bright red, hexagonal warning label on the front of packaged foods containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt, or saturated fat.
The proposal was tabled shortly after a Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice J B Pardiwala, strongly criticised the government and the food regulator for delays in implementing front-of-pack warning labels. The proposed regulatory changes have reignited discussions regarding the responsibility of food manufacturers to transparently declare health risks, aiming to empower consumers to identify unhealthy products and make informed dietary choices.