NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken action against two food products over alleged safety and regulatory violations, penalising the manufacturer of a fortified sunflower oil found to be substandard and prohibiting the sale of a Monk Fruit Sweetener over licensing and labelling concerns.
The regulator imposed a penalty on AWL Agri Business Ltd, Mangaluru, after laboratory testing of a retail sample of Fortune “Fryola” Refined Sunflower Seed Oil found its vitamin D content below the prescribed standard. FSSAI classified the fortified edible oil as substandard under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The company was given an opportunity to present its case, following which the adjudicating authority concluded that it had manufactured and marketed a substandard fortified edible oil and imposed a monetary penalty.
In a separate action, FSSAI prohibited the sale of PIE Foods’ Monk Fruit Sweetener, a natural, zero-calorie sugar substitute, after inspections found cartons of the product stored at the company’s premises without the required manufacturing licence.
The regulator also raised concerns over claims made on the product, including “100% Monk Fruit Extract” and “Natural Ingredients.” FSSAI said the product’s online listing did not carry the mandatory endorsement required under food safety regulations.
The company also allegedly failed to provide records demonstrating that the monk fruit extract used in the product had been procured in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act.
The prohibition will remain in force until the product complies with the requirements of the Food Safety and Standards Act and applicable regulations.
FSSAI said the actions form part of its continuing enforcement drive against food business operators, aimed at ensuring that food products available to consumers meet prescribed safety, quality and regulatory standards.
