Regarding food safety and quality standards, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken major regulatory action on the popular product ‘Low Fat Dairy Whitener’ of the multinational company Nestle. In the laboratory test conducted by the authority, the sample of this product did not meet the standards set under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act 2006). In the food analyst’s investigation report, it has been declared ‘unsafe’ and ‘substandard’. As soon as the report came out, the food regulator has issued strict instructions to the concerned food business operator to stop the sale of the identified product with immediate effect. The sample was collected from the premises of ‘The Lalit’ hotel in Delhi, notice to Bharat Hotels. According to the official order and notice of the regulator, the sample of this ‘Low Fat Dairy Whitener’ of Nestle was collected from the premises of the prestigious five-star hotel ‘The Lalit’ (M/s Bharat Hotels Ltd.) located at Connaught Place, New Delhi. The team of food safety officials collected the sample as part of routine quality check and sent it to an accredited food analyst lab for chemical testing. After completion of the investigation, the laboratory found that the product had serious violations of mandatory standards and quality standards. FSSAI has issued a formal notice to Bharat Hotels Limited and Nestle regarding this non-compliance and handed over a copy of the report. Option to appeal against the food analyst report, the company argued Under the food safety rules, the regulator has given the concerned party an opportunity to legally file an appeal against the food analyst’s laboratory report within the prescribed time limit and demand a referral lab test. Nestle, on the other hand, has clarified its stand saying that its products are completely safe for consumption and they follow the applicable regulatory guidelines. The company also said that it is in constant coordination with the authorities on this matter and is sharing necessary scientific data and clarifications regarding naturally occurring elements (such as phosphorus) in milk-based products. FSSAI’s intensified monitoring on packaged foods, advisory issued to consumers. In recent times, FSSAI’s monitoring system has become quite aggressive regarding the quality of packaged foods, dairy products and food items used in hotels. Even before this, the regulator had raised many questions regarding the quality and nutritional claims of some baby food and formula products. In view of this latest action, the regulator has directed to block the supply of the product of the concerned batch with immediate effect. Along with this, consumers and bulk buyers have been advised to carefully check the label, batch number and official food safety updates before purchasing and using packaged goods.
