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FSSAI bars Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo from selling hing powder
Our read
Hing shelves shift to compliant substitutes as FSSAI action forces Everest and Laljee Godhoo into remediation and retesting.
For operators
Immediately quarantine affected Everest and Laljee Godhoo hing powder inventory, coordinate delisting and customer communication, and tighten supplier quality checks for regulatory compliance.
Watch
FSSAI publication of batch numbers, duration of the prohibition, and conditions for reinstatement.
Ask next
The report,
FSSAI prohibited Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo from selling substandard hing powder. Everest samples were misbranded and below alcohol-extract standards, while Laljee Godhoo products were also adulterated, with excess starch in raw hing. Both firms must submit corrective action plans.
Reported figures
From the report. Source details below
| 0% alcohol soluble extract found in Everest samples versus minimum prescribed | 5% |
|---|---|
| Raw hing starch content must not exceed | 1% by weight |
| FSS (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, | 2011 |
Also in the report
- 3.29% alcoholic extract in Yellow Hing Powder
- 4.4% alcoholic extract in Black Hing Powder
Other figures
- FSS Act, 2006
Why it matters to operators
The enforcement action raises food-safety diligence requirements for any investment or partnership involving the affected brands, while potentially opening share opportunities for compliant spice suppliers.
What to watch next
- Timing and acceptance of each company's corrective-action plan and follow-up laboratory results.
- Retailer and e-commerce delisting activity, price changes, and out-of-stock rates for Everest and Laljee Godhoo hing SKUs.
- Whether FSSAI initiates wider hing-category sampling, notices, recalls, or penalties against other manufacturers.
- Competitor promotional activity, shelf-space gains, and private-label launches in hing powder.
Likely next moves
Our read of what comes next — analysis, not reported by the source.
- Immediately stop sale, dispatch, and online fulfillment of impacted hing powder batches; quarantine distributor and retailer inventory.
- Submit corrective-action plans with batch traceability, revised raw-material specifications, supplier audits, and independent laboratory test results.
- Notify trade partners of affected SKUs and expected remediation timelines to limit unauthorized sell-through and retailer penalties.
- Accelerate replacement listings and promotional support for compliant hing alternatives, especially in high-turnover grocery and festive-demand markets.
- Review all spice and asafoetida-adjacent products for alcohol-soluble extract and starch compliance before regulators or retailers request documentation.
The counter-case
The case against this reading — not reported by the source.
The prohibition could inflict outsized damage if hing is a high-margin, trust-led category for either company: delisted inventory, retailer returns, corrective testing, reformulation and reputational spillover may extend beyond the barred products. Even a narrow regulatory action can weaken distributor confidence and give competitors shelf space that is difficult to recover.