Key Update

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken action against six food businesses over alleged hygiene, licensing, and advertising violations. The measures include licence cancellation and suspension, an improvement notice to Radisson Blu Delhi, and show-cause notices concerning health and nutrition claims made for Freedom Cooking Rice Bran Oil.

Jhanvitanni Licence Cancelled; DNV Food Products Suspended

FSSAI cancelled Jhanvitanni’s licence for continued non-compliance and operating despite an earlier suspension. The regulator also suspended DNV Food Products Limited’s licence over several deficiencies, including:

• Poor sanitation, stagnant water and pest issues.
• Rusted equipment, damaged flooring and inadequate ventilation.
• Improper storage and missing packaging safety documents.
• Missing mock recall records and processing or repacking without the required licence endorsement.

Radisson Blu Delhi Receives Improvement Notice

FSSAI issued an improvement notice to AB Hotels Limited, the operator of Radisson Blu Delhi, over multiple food safety and hygiene deficiencies. Inspectors reported leaking freezers, rusted machinery, inadequate refrigeration and temperature monitoring, poor drainage, waste management, and pest control. They also flagged deteriorated produce, gaps in vendor records and traceability, and improper segregation of raw and cooked foods, vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, allergens, and non-food materials.

Cooking Oil Quality Violations

At the hotel’s NYC Kitchen, cooking oil samples showed total polar compound (TPC) levels of 31% and 24.4%. FSSAI prohibits the use of frying oil with TPC levels above 25%. Inspectors also identified inadequate oil-quality checks, food handlers without appropriate protective gear, jewellery and long nails, and licensing deficiencies. The hotel must correct the violations and submit an Action Taken Report with supporting documents and photographs. Failure to comply could lead to further action, including licence suspension.

Show-Cause Notices Over Freedom Rice Bran Oil Claims

FSSAI issued show-cause notices to:

• Gemini Edibles & Fats India Limited.
• Innovative Retail Concepts Private Limited, the operator of BigBasket.
• Flipkart India Private Limited.

The notices concern claims made for Freedom Cooking Rice Bran Oil that it reduces bad cholesterol, maintains or increases good cholesterol, and contains more than 10,000 ppm of natural oryzanol. The regulator questioned the cholesterol and heart-health claims under the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018. It also questioned Gemini Edibles over the alleged sale of products through its e-commerce website without a valid Central Licence covering those operations. The notices seek explanations and do not constitute final findings of liability.

What This Means for Food Businesses

The action highlights the importance of:

• Maintaining hygiene and effective pest control.
• Monitoring cooking oil quality and replacing oil when required.
• Keeping accurate compliance, traceability and recall records.
• Obtaining the appropriate licences and endorsements.
• Ensuring that advertising and health claims comply with regulatory requirements.

For food businesses, consistent compliance is essential to protecting consumers and maintaining food safety standards.

Source: Firstpost

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