FSSAI issues notices to 8 firms over misleading product claims
What's the story
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to eight food companies over misleading brand names, trade names, and product claims. The firms include Emami Healthy & Tasty, Health Aid, Troovy, The Healthy Factory, Healthy Master, Healthy Choice, Plan B and Neuherbs. The regulator announced the action on its official social media handles today.
Brand concerns
Emami and Plan B
Among the companies flagged, Emami Healthy & Tasty, a cooking oils division of Kolkata-based Emami Group, has been called out by FSSAI. The regulator said its trade name is "likely to mislead consumers and appears to be in contravention of applicable FSSAI regulations." Plan B, which promotes its products as "plant based vegan," is also under the scanner for misleading consumers about their vegan status without prior approval from FSSAI.
Product scrutiny
The Healthy Factory and Neuherbs
FSSAI has also flagged The Healthy Factory's "Zero Maida Whole Wheat Bread" and "zero maida pizza base." Both products were found to be misleading consumers. Neuherbs's product line "True Vitamin" was flagged for using a trade name that is neither defined nor recognized under FSSAI regulations, making it potentially misleading for consumers.
Snack concerns
Troovy, Healthy Master, Healthy Choice, Health Aid
Troovy's range of snack products, such as "Healthy Mix Veggie Chips," "Healthy Ragi Chips," and "Healthy Moong Dal Chips," have been flagged for making misleading "healthy" claims. This is despite the fact that they contain a range of other ingredients. FSSAI also flagged Healthy Master's tagline, "Vision to serve healthy," Healthy Choice's product description "Healthy food for Healthy life Poha," and Health Aid's brand name as likely to mislead consumers about the nature of their products.