One of the country's most popular condiment brands, Everest, is under tight FSSAI scrutiny after the food regulator ordered a temporary ban of sale of its hing (asafoetida) and a few masalas. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has prohibited the sale of compounded hing manufactured by Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo and Company after laboratory testing found samples that did not meet food safety standards. The regulator has spotted compliance issues in three Everest spice blends. They include egg curry masala, chicken masala, and its widely sold garam masala. To clarify, the three Everest masalas have not been banned permanently. They have been flagged for non-compliance, and the company has been asked to explain the violations and submit an action plan to resolve the said issues. Why Is Everest's Hing Under Fire? The action against hing came after a consumer complaint that prompted FSSAI to begin surveillance of major hing brands. Samples were collected from Everest's facility in Mumbai and its manufacturing unit in Umbergaon, Gujarat, to be sent for laboratory testing. According to FSSAI, its compounded hing samples tested contained only 0% to 3% alcohol-soluble extract, despite the prescribed minimum being 5%. Compounded hing, which is not pure raw asafoetida, is a regulated food product made by blending raw hing with other ingredients like starches, flour, and gum Arabic. The required alcohol-soluble extract helps establish whether sufficient raw asafoetida is present in the final product. FSSAI said the test results indicated that the products contained 30% to 40% less raw hing than required. The regulator also found a separate problem in six varieties of raw hing tested at the Laljee Godhoo facility. Their starch content ranged between 15% and 32%, while the permitted maximum is 1%.Also read: FSSAI Proposes Red Front-Of-Pack Warning Labels On Junk Food: How Will This Benefit Consumers’ Health? What About Everest's Egg Curry, Chicken And Garam Masalas? The regulator also detected non-compliance in Everest egg curry masala, chicken masala, and garam masala. However, unlike the hing products, these three spice blends have not been prohibited from sale. The companies have been asked to explain the violations and submit action plans elaborating how they intend to comply with the food safety standards. FSSAI has also advised the manufacturers to voluntarily recall substandard hing products already in the market.Also read: US FDA Recalls Injectables Over Fiberglass, Steel Particles: See Affected Drugs Motive Behind FSSAI's Action FSSAI's action is a preventive food safety measure. The regulator said the manufacturers must address the violations and ensure their compounded hing meets the prescribed standards. The prohibition on the product will remain in place until compliance requirements are met. For consumers, the episode also highlights the fact how food adulteration or substandard manufacturing is not always visible to the naked eye. A spice may look, smell and taste perfectly fine while still failing a major food safety standard. Laboratory testing is therefore crucial for identifying problems like incorrect composition or inadequate levels of the ingredient in a product. This comes at a time when FSSAI is tightening rules over food standards and labelling. Just days ago, the regulator proposed hexagonal red, front-of-pack warning labels for packaged junk foods that are high in sugar, salt or saturated fats. It told the Supreme Court that the aim is to make such information easier for consumers to understand.