The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered a temporary ban on the sale of compounded hing manufactured by Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo and Company after laboratory tests found the products to be substandard. The regulatory action was announced on Saturday, August 29, following a consumer complaint that triggered a wider market surveillance exercise.
According to FSSAI, samples collected from Everest’s licensed manufacturing facilities in Mumbai and Umbergaon, Gujarat, as well as from the LG Brand Unit in Mumbai, failed to meet prescribed standards. Compounded hing is made by blending raw hing with ingredients such as gum arabic, starches and flours. Under Indian regulations, the final product must contain at least 5% alcohol-soluble extract, an indicator linked to the required quantity of raw hing.
However, laboratory testing found alcohol-soluble extract levels of only 0–3% in the compounded hing samples tested. FSSAI said this indicated that the products contained significantly less raw hing than required. Testing of six varieties of raw hing at the LG facility also found starch levels ranging from 15% to 32%, far above the permitted maximum of 1%.
The action comes alongside reports that three other Everest masala products were found non-compliant, prompting regulatory scrutiny and notices. However, the prohibition of sale announced by FSSAI specifically concerns the compounded hing products; it does not amount to a blanket ban on Everest’s entire product range.
FSSAI has directed the companies to submit corrective action plans and has advised them to voluntarily recall substandard products already available in the market. The regulator said the measures are intended to protect consumers and ensure that food manufacturers strictly comply with prescribed quality standards.
The development underscores the importance of stronger quality checks across packaged food products, particularly widely consumed spices and seasonings.
