Nestle's “Low Fat Dairy Whitener” has been taken off the market after a sample collected from a Delhi hotel was declared both “unsafe” and “substandard” by a laboratory, according to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The food safety regulator said the sample was collected from Bharat Hotels Ltd. (The Lalit) in Connaught Place, New Delhi. Following laboratory analysis, FSSAI directed that the sale of the product be immediately stopped.
"A sample of Nestle "Low Fat Dairy Whitener" collected from M/s Bharat Hotels Ltd. (The Lalit), New Delhi, has been declared unsafe and substandard by Food Analyst reports under the FSS Act, 2006," FSSAI said in a post on X.
“Directives have been issued to immediately prohibit the sale of this product,” the regulator added.
What Happened To The Nestle Dairy Whitener?
The sample taken from The Lalit was sent to a laboratory for examination. The Food Analyst's report subsequently classified the product as “unsafe” and “substandard”, with FSSAI treating the findings as non-compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The regulator said the laboratory analysis report had been provided to the food business operator for reference and necessary action. A notice was also issued to Nestle in connection with the findings.
Nestle has been given an opportunity to challenge the Food Analyst's report through an appeal under the FSS Act, 2006, within the prescribed period. Until then, the company has been directed to prohibit the sale of the affected product.
Nestle Already Under FSSAI Scrutiny
The latest action comes shortly after another regulatory issue involving Nestle India.
Last month, FSSAI initiated action after a sample of one of the company's baby food products was found to be non-compliant with prescribed quality standards.
According to FSSAI, a sample of Nestle's follow-up formula was found to be substandard for its biotin content during laboratory testing. The sample was subsequently sent for re-analysis, and the referral laboratory also found it did not meet the prescribed biotin requirement under the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020.
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“The sample was subsequently referred for re-analysis, and the referral laboratory also found the sample non-conforming with respect to the prescribed Biotin requirement under the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020,” FSSAI said.
The regulator had also flagged the promotion of two other infant nutrition products, NAN Excella Pro Stage 1 and Lactogen Pro 1, for allegedly violating rules governing the promotion of such products.
Nestle had previously said its products were “fully compliant with all the applicable regulations” and that it would continue to work closely with FSSAI.