The food safety authority declared the batch unsafe under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006; the company said the impact would be limited to the affected batch’s value
Patanjali Foods has received an order to recall a batch of cow ghee after the product was declared unsafe under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the company said in a stock exchange filing on Saturday, 24 October. The order was issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Madhya Pradesh.
The order, issued by the designated officer of the FDA in Burhanpur, relates to a sample of cow ghee that failed to meet the requirements prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, along with provisions governing contaminants, toxins and residues.
The FMCG company said the recall would not have any material impact on its financial or operational activities, apart from the value of the affected batch of cow ghee. It also informed the exchanges that it is filing an appeal against the order. In its regulatory filing, Patanjali Foods stated that it had received a “recall order of sale of Cow Ghee of a Batch on account of unsafe as per The Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006.”
The development comes amid increased regulatory scrutiny of food safety and product labelling in India.
Recently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a prohibition order directing Dabur India to stop selling food products carrying “100%” claims, stating that such labelling violates the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018. The prohibition covered several products, including honey, apple cider vinegar, virgin coconut oil, sesame oil, cow ghee, coconut water and coconut milk, along with other food items carrying similar claims.
Separately, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has stepped up its statewide enforcement drive against food adulteration. The action has resulted in the seizure of suspected adulterated dairy products and sweets, including butter, khoya, paneer, ghee and shrikhand.
