The food safety regulator has directed Everest Food Products to recall a specific batch of pre-packed cumin powder after regulatory testing confirmed pesticide residues above prescribed limits.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered Everest Food Products Pvt Ltd to immediately recall a batch of its pre-packed cumin powder after the product was declared unsafe following regulatory testing.
The action relates to Batch No. E080668761 of Everest pre-packed cumin powder. According to FSSAI, a sample collected from Riverside Resorts & Holiday Homes Pvt Ltd in Goa was analysed by a Food Analyst and found to contain Azoxystrobin and Thiamethoxam residues above the prescribed maximum limits.
The sample was declared unsafe under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Everest Food Products was subsequently allowed to appeal against the findings. Following the appeal, the sample was referred to a Referral Food Laboratory for further analysis. The referral testing also confirmed that the product was unsafe, with pesticide residues exceeding the applicable maximum limits.
Based on the findings, FSSAI has directed the company to withdraw the implicated batch from the market. The company has also been instructed to maintain records of the recalled product, submit recall-related information and status reports within the prescribed timelines, and implement corrective measures to prevent recurrence.
The action highlights the importance of pesticide-residue monitoring and raw-material controls in the spice industry, where compliance with maximum residue limits is critical to finished-product safety.
FSSAI has also taken separate enforcement action against other food businesses, including the suspension of the licence of Creative Bakers and Confectioners Pvt Ltd over reported deficiencies relating to hygiene, sanitation and food safety.
The latest actions underline the regulator's continuing focus on strengthening compliance, testing and accountability across India's food businesses.
