FSSAI flags Everest cumin powder as unsafe, orders immediate market recall: What food analyst report found

FSSAI has ordered Everest Food Products to withdraw unsafe pre-packed cumin powder. The regulator emphasises strict enforcement of food safety regulations to protect consumers.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered Everest Food Products Pvt Ltd to withdraw its pre-packed cumin powder from the market after testing determined that the product was unsafe for consumption.

FSSAI issued a recall directive covering the cumin powder manufactured by Everest Food Products.

The regulator has instructed Everest Food Products to "immediately recall 'Pre-packed Cumin Powder' after tests declared the sample unsafe".

The regulatory sample of "Pre-packed Cumin Powder" was collected from the premises of Riverside Resorts & Holiday Homes Pvt Ltd in Goa.

According to the regulator, the Food Analyst's examination detected pesticide residues of Azoxystrobin and Thiamethoxam in the sample at concentrations above the prescribed maximum limits.

"The Food Analyst's report found pesticide residues of Azoxystrobin and Thiamethoxam at levels exceeding the prescribed maximum limits," it said, as per PTI.

The sample was subsequently classified as "UNSAFE" under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Everest Food Products was given an opportunity to challenge the findings, after which the sample was sent to the Referral Food Laboratory for further examination.

The referral laboratory also upheld the earlier findings and confirmed that the sample was "UNSAFE", after detecting Azoxystrobin and Thiamethoxam above the permitted maximum limits.

The regulator ordered the immediate withdrawal of the entire affected batch of "Pre-packed Cumin Powder" from the market.

Everest Food was also instructed to keep detailed records of the recalled products and submit the required reports to the authorities.

"The FBO was further directed to undertake corrective measures to prevent recurrence of the incident and submit a report upon completion of the recall," the regulator said.

Creative Bakers licence suspended over hygiene violations

The food regulator has also taken action against Creative Bakers and Confectioners Pvt Ltd, suspending the company's licence over alleged hygiene violations.

In a post on social media on Sunday, FSSAI said it was continuing to enforce food-safety regulations across the country to protect consumers.

"FSSAI licence of Creative Bakers and Confectioners Pvt Ltd has been suspended with immediate effect due to severe hygiene deficiencies," the regulator said.

Low-fat dairy whitener sample declared unsafe in FSSAI lab test

Meanwhile, a sample of low-fat dairy whitener manufactured by a food company and collected from a hotel chain's premises in Connaught Place, New Delhi, has been classified as "substandard" and "unsafe", according to a Food Analyst's laboratory report under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, the FSSAI stated, as per ANI.

The sample was collected from the hotel premises in Connaught Place and subsequently examined by the Food Analyst. The laboratory report found the product to be "substandard" and "unsafe", indicating that it did not meet the requirements prescribed under the FSS Act, 2006.

The Food Business Operator (FBO) was provided with a copy of the laboratory report for reference and necessary action.

Over the past few months, the FSSAI has intensified enforcement measures against food business operators and e-commerce companies. The regulator has also been using social media to inform the public about such actions.

About the Author

Garvit Bhirani is a journalist based in Gurugram. He is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint, where he covers national and international news stories, focusing on accuracy and compelling storytelling for readers. <br><br> With a total of six years of experience in journalism, he has previously worked with Vaco Binary Semantics for Google, taking on the role of news curation lead, and reported from the field on health, education, and agriculture stories for 101reporters and News9. He has also served as a content editor for entertainment and news media organisations. <br><br> Garvit holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism and mass communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and Gurugram University, respectively. During college days, he joined India’s only non-profit student journalism network, where he anchored daily news updates and produced his own weekly show called ‘Data Fix’. <br><br> He was selected for the YES Foundation Media for Social Change Fellowship in Delhi, the Talking Data to the Fourth Pillar residential workshop, and the VOICE Fellowship in Pune. <br><br> He holds certificates in COVID-19-verification reporting, data journalism, food & agriculture, tech policy, media literacy and countering misinformation, and tackling election disinformation courses from Thomson Foundation, IndiaSpend, The Dialogue, US Mission in India, and AFP. <br><br> He can be reached on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/garvit-bhirani">LinkedIn</a> or on <a href="https://x.com/GarvitBhirani">@garvitbhirani</a> on X

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