A food safety inspection at The Lalit hotel in New Delhi has flagged a Nestlé “Low Fat Dairy Whitener” after a sample tested by an FSSAI laboratory was found to be both “unsafe” and “substandard”, according to a post by the regulator on X.
The sample was collected from the premises of Bharat Hotels Ltd., which operates The Lalit in Connaught Place.
FSSAI said laboratory testing found the dairy whitener in breach of food safety requirements prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. “Nestle product found unsafe & sub-standard,” FSSAI said in its post, adding that the laboratory analysis had found the sample of “Low Fat Dairy Whitener” to be non-compliant under the food safety law.
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The regulator said a copy of the laboratory analysis report was provided to the food business operator (FBO), Bharat Hotels Ltd., for reference and necessary action. FSSAI has also issued a notice to Bharat Hotels regarding the non-compliant product manufactured by Nestlé.
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The company has been given an opportunity to appeal against the Food Analyst’s report under the applicable provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, within the prescribed period.
The regulator further directed the food business operator to immediately prohibit the sale of the identified product. FSSAI’s action follows the laboratory examination of the sample drawn from The Lalit in Connaught Place. The regulator’s post did not specify the particular parameter or contaminant that led the Food Analyst to classify the sample as both “unsafe” and “substandard”.
The distinction between the two classifications is significant under India’s food safety framework. A product may be considered substandard when it fails to meet prescribed standards or specifications, while the “unsafe” classification relates to food that is considered unsuitable for consumption under the applicable provisions of the food safety law. The action comes as food safety authorities continue to conduct sampling and testing of food products at establishments and across the supply chain to check compliance with prescribed standards.
The FSSAI post did not indicate whether the action was directed at Nestlé as the manufacturer or whether any separate proceedings had been initiated against the company. The notice cited by the regulator was issued to M/s Bharat Hotels Ltd., the food business operator from whose premises the sample was collected.
The regulator also did not disclose the batch number, quantity of the product covered by the action or the specific laboratory findings in its public post.
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