FSSAI cracks down on ‘unsafe’ Nestle product at ‘The Lalit’; hotel chain responds

Bilkul Online

1 hour ago

Bilkul Online | Sunday Special
New Delhi

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday said that it ordered immediate action against the sale of a Nestle dairy product after a laboratory analysis determined that a sample of Nestle Low Fat Dairy Whitener obtained from Bharat Hotels Ltd (The Lalit) was unsafe. The regulator subsequently issued a notice to Bharat Hotels Ltd and directed the hotel operator to prohibit the sale of the identified product pending further proceedings.

Responding to the development, Vivek Shukla, CEO of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, said the dairy whitener was a packaged product procured from Nestlé India and that the hotel had acted promptly after receiving communication from the regulator. “The product was collected by FSSAI from The LaLiT New Delhi around three months ago. Upon receiving the communication, we immediately contacted Nestlé India and also discontinued its use, removing all packets from our operations,” Shukla said. He maintained that the issue concerning the product’s regulatory compliance was between FSSAI and Nestlé India and not with the hotel operator. He added that The Lalit remains committed to maintaining the highest food safety standards and complying with all applicable regulations. Meanwhile, Nestlé India asserted that the product is safe for consumption and meets all regulatory requirements. According to a report by NDTV Profit, the company said its “Low Fat Dairy Whitener” complies with prescribed food safety norms.

Moreover, the FMCG firm argued that phosphorus is naturally present in milk and milk-based products and that the laboratory findings cited by the regulator measured total phosphorus without distinguishing between naturally occurring phosphorus and phosphorus added as a food additive. According to the company, the product remains within the prescribed limits for added phosphorus under Food Safety and Standards Regulations, including on an “as consumed” basis. Notably, the 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.