FSSAI Suspends Licences, Orders Halt on Ghee Sales Over Adulteration

New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken strong action against two companies found violating food safety norms, including the sale of adulterated ghee. The regulator has suspended the licence of Marche Retail Pvt Ltd and prohibited Daman-based SDP Industries from selling any variant of ghee.

In a statement released on Sunday, the FSSAI said it uncovered serious food safety violations during inspections and laboratory tests. The licence of Marche Retail, based in New Delhi, has been suspended for 30 days.

According to the regulator, the inspection found deficiencies in the establishment's design, operational controls, sanitation, personal hygiene, food-handler training, and mandatory record-keeping. The company has been ordered to cease all food business activities immediately and to rectify the issues before it can resume operations.

For SDP Industries, the FSSAI issued a prohibition order after laboratory analysis of its ghee products found them non-compliant with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The products, sold under brand names such as Shraddha, Shree Saras, and Gokul, were found to contain A-sitosterol, a plant sterol that should not be present in ghee. The fatty-acid composition also did not conform to standards, indicating the presence of foreign or vegetable fats.

The regulator has directed SDP Industries to stop selling all ghee variants manufactured, stored, or sold from its authorised premises. The company must ensure that the prohibited products are not placed on the market or sold to consumers until further orders.

These actions are part of a broader enforcement drive by the FSSAI. On Saturday, the regulator announced that it had issued over 150 notices to food companies, including major brands like Nestle India, PepsiCo, and Coca-Cola India, over misleading advertisements, false claims, and labelling non-compliance.

The list of companies served notices includes Abbott India Ltd, Red Bull India, Danone India, Monster Energy India Pvt Ltd, Hell Energy Pvt Ltd, Mondelez India, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Ferrero India, and Kenvue Inc. The FSSAI has also taken action against e-commerce platforms Amazon and Flipkart, sending them 12 notices and cancelling one Amazon warehouse licence.

Additionally, more than 30 notices have been issued to food service chains such as KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Costa Coffee. The regulator has suspended five licences of Domino's.

The FSSAI said many companies are beginning to take corrective action following the notices. The enforcement actions underscore the regulator's commitment to ensuring that food products sold in India meet safety and quality standards.

Consumers are advised to check for FSSAI licence numbers and report any suspected adulteration to the authorities. The regulator has urged the public to remain vigilant and informed about food safety issues.