FSSAI halts Everest, Laljee Godhoo compounded hing sales over quality and labelling failures
FSSAI has ordered an immediate halt to the manufacture and sale of compounded asafoetida products from Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo, citing sub-standard quality, misbranding and non-compliance with extract and starch norms. The companies must submit corrective action plans.
What happened
FSSAI has immediately banned manufacture and sale of compounded hing variants from Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo after finding products sub-standard,
Key facts
- Alcohol soluble extract minimum: 5%
- Sample alcohol soluble extract: 0%
- Yellow Hing Powder extract: 3.29%
- Black Hing Powder extract: 4.4%
- Maximum permitted starch content in hing: 1% by weight
- Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
Why this matters
Treat the enforcement action as a diligence flag on quality systems, labelling controls and regulatory liabilities, with any partnership or acquisition contingent on verified corrective compliance.
What to watch
- FSSAI publication of detailed test findings, affected batch numbers, recall directions or further enforcement notices.
- Timing and acceptance of the companies' corrective action plans and any conditions attached to renewed manufacture or sale.
- Whether inspections extend to other asafoetida, spice or food-additive brands.
- Changes in marketplace listings, modern-trade delistings, distributor returns and availability of the affected SKUs.
- Consumer complaints, social-media traction and media coverage linking the incident to broader food-safety concerns.
- Competitor price changes, shelf-space gains and new distribution activity in hing and adjacent spice categories.
- Submit detailed corrective action plans covering formulation, ingredient specifications, labelling and batch-level quality controls.
- Quarantine affected inventory across factories, distributors, modern trade and e-commerce channels to prevent further regulatory exposure.
- Commission accredited third-party testing and create auditable certificates of analysis for extract, starch and contaminant compliance.
- Prioritize regulator engagement and a controlled relaunch plan rather than broad promotional activity until clearance is secured.
- Competitors should increase compliant hing inventory, target displaced distributor accounts and emphasize quality assurance without making unsupported comparative claims.
- Retailers and marketplaces should review supplier compliance documents across the compounded hing assortment and prepare substitute SKU plans.