FSSAI issues notice to ‘The Lalit’ hotel operator over ‘unsafe’ Nestle product

New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday said that it directed immediate action against the sale of a Nestle dairy product after a laboratory analysis declared a sample of Nestle Low Fat Dairy Whitener collected from Bharat Hotels Ltd (The Lalit) as unsafe and substandard.

In a statement posted on social media platform X on Saturday, the food regulator said the sample was drawn from the premises of The Lalit hotel here and subsequently tested by a Food Analyst laboratory.

The laboratory report concluded that the product did not comply with provisions of the FSS Act, 2006, and classified the sample as both unsafe and substandard, according to the regulator.

Following the findings, FSSAI said a notice had been issued to Bharat Hotels Ltd. (The Lalit) regarding the non-compliant product manufactured by Nestle.

The regulator added that a copy of the laboratory analysis report had been shared with the food business operator (FBO) for necessary action.

FSSAI said the hotel operator had also been given an opportunity to challenge the findings and file an appeal against the Food Analyst’s report within the prescribed period under the provisions of the food safety law.

Pending any further proceedings, the regulator directed the FBO to immediately prohibit the sale of the identified product.

The development comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of food quality and compliance standards, with FSSAI continuing enforcement actions against products found to be in violation of food safety norms.

Earlier in the month, the food regulator suspended the licences of TCF Chocolates and Gifts and Shivam Agro after inspections uncovered serious food safety and hygiene lapses at their facilities.

The action was initiated after a consumer complaint related to food ordered through an e-commerce platform prompted an inspection of TCF Chocolates and Gifts.

IANS