Six food business operators, including Dabur India and Ferns N Petals, have taken corrective measures after receiving notices from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) over misleading labels, claims and advertisements.
The food regulator on Tuesday shared details of the action taken by the companies following its notices, saying the measures included changes to product labels, packaging, marketing material and product categorisation.
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The six companies identified by FSSAI are Lotte India Corporation Pvt Ltd, Dabur India, Ferns N Petals Pvt Ltd, Eat Better Ventures Pvt Ltd, S S Product Prop and Om Sai Healthcare.
"Following notices from FSSAI, major FBOs have taken prompt corrective actions. Measures range from withdrawing misleading label claims to revising product packaging to ensure consumer safety and compliance," the regulator said in a social media post.
Dabur changes product categorisation
In Dabur's case, FSSAI said the company had been selling an ayurvedic proprietary medicinal oil as edible oil.
Dabur subsequently informed the regulator that it had instructed e-commerce platforms to place the product in the appropriate category for ayurvedic proprietary medicine. The company is also in the process of making the corresponding change on its own website, FSSAI said.
"Dabur has informed that the company has directed all e-commerce platforms to list the product under appropriate category of ayurvedic proprietary medicine and is in the process to list the product under appropriate category on its own website since the product will not fall under the purview of FSSAI," the regulator said.
Lotte India, meanwhile, has removed "100 per cent" claims from its product labels.
Ferns N Petals revises chocolate labels
FSSAI said Ferns N Petals faced multiple labelling-related violations in a chocolate product. The product used hydrogenated vegetable fat instead of cocoa butter, requiring a specific declaration under the applicable regulations for chocolates containing vegetable fats other than cocoa butter.
The label was also found to lack percentage RDA values in the nutritional information table. In addition, while the product was marketed as almond chocolate and featured images of almonds, the percentage of mango was not declared in the ingredient list.
Ferns N Petals told FSSAI that the required corrections had been made across the affected products.
Also read: Delhi HC stays FSSAI ban on Dabur's '100% purity' claims
"corrective measures have been taken, and the labels of all other products, including Roasted Almond Chocolate, have been rectified as per the show cause notice issued."
Eat Better Ventures, according to FSSAI, has withdrawn comparative claims and vegan claims from its products.
Om Sai Healthcare is revising its marketing materials and website content. The company has also assured the regulator that it will refrain from using misleading advertisements and claims in the future.
FSSAI said the actions taken by the companies demonstrate how "regulatory oversight" is driving greater accountability in the food industry.
