FSSAI bars Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo from selling hing powder
India’s food regulator has barred Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo and Company from selling specified hing powders after samples failed quality standards. Everest fell short on alcohol-soluble extract levels, while Laljee Godhoo products exceeded permitted starch limits.
What happened
FSSAI barred Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo from selling sub-standard hing powder. Everest samples failed alcohol-soluble extract requirements, while
Key facts
- Everest alcohol-soluble extract: 0% versus mandated minimum 5%
- Everest Yellow Hing Powder alcoholic extract: 3.29%
- Everest Black Hing Powder alcoholic extract: 4.4%
- Maximum permitted starch content in hing: 1% by weight
- FSS (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011
- FSS Act, 2006
Why this matters
For potential partners or acquirers, the enforcement action highlights the need for deeper diligence on ingredient sourcing, quality-control systems and regulatory remediation costs in Indian packaged-food targets.
What to watch
- FSSAI publication of detailed order language, affected batch numbers, recall instructions, penalties, or timelines for corrective action.
- Company statements announcing voluntary recalls, reformulation, lab results, legal challenge, or expected relaunch dates.
- Modern-trade and e-commerce delistings, search suppression, substitution activity, and price changes in hing powder listings.
- Further FSSAI sampling notices or enforcement actions involving other asafoetida, spice-blend, or food-additive suppliers.
- Distributor inventory returns, retailer chargebacks, and evidence that affected SKUs were sold outside the initially named channels or regions.
- Category-level volume and pricing movement indicating whether consumers trade to branded alternatives, loose hing, or private labels.
- Immediately suspend sale, online listings, and warehouse dispatch of the named affected hing powder batches/SKUs; isolate inventory and document traceability.
- Request written clarification on the precise scope of the FSSAI order, including SKU, batch, geography, and recall or disposal obligations.
- Conduct independent retesting and root-cause analysis focused on alcohol-soluble extract specification for Everest and starch-content controls for Laljee Godhoo.
- Secure alternate compliant suppliers and adjust replenishment plans for hing-dependent assortment, especially high-velocity festive and regional-demand outlets.
- Prepare retailer, distributor, and consumer communications that distinguish affected products from unaffected portfolio items while avoiding unsupported quality claims.
- Increase inbound quality testing, certificate verification, and supplier indemnity requirements for compounded spice powders.