Food Authority Orders Recall of Faulty Hing from Top Brands

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken firm action against two prominent spice manufacturers after discovering that their compound hing products do not meet essential quality parameters. Everest and Lalji Godhu’s mixed hing mixes were found to contain only 0‑3 percent alcohol‑soluble extract, well below the mandated five‑percent threshold that signals genuine asafoetida. In a separate laboratory test, pure hing sourced from Lalji Godhu’s facility exhibited starch levels ranging from 15 to 32 percent, exceeding the legal limit of one percent and suggesting deliberate adulteration. The ban, enforced under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, restricts only the sale of compound hing; other spice lines such as garam masala, egg curry masala, and chicken curry masala are unaffected. The investigation was launched after a consumer complaint prompted extensive sampling at the companies’ Mumbai plants and an additional unit in Umargadh, Gujarat. FSSAI officials have asked the firms to submit corrective measures and are recommending a voluntary recall of the questionable batches to protect consumers.