Nestle defends dairy whitener after FSSAI lab finds it 'unsafe'

Nestle India contests an FSSAI lab report that declared its dairy whitener 'unsafe'. The company claims the product is safe and compliant, arguing the lab failed to account for naturally occurring phosphorus in milk-based ingredients.

Nestle India's Response

Nestle India on Saturday said its Low Fat Dairy Whitener is safe to consume and complies with all applicable regulatory requirements, after a sample of the product was declared “substandard” and “unsafe” in a laboratory report. Nestle’s spokesperson said that phosphorus is a nutrient that occurs naturally in milk and is therefore present in all milk-based products. “FSSAI lab reports reflect total phosphorus against the additive limit, without accounting for the substantial natural phosphorus contribution from milk-based ingredients,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson further said the product is in full compliance for added phosphorus as per prescribed limits under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, including on an as-consumed basis. “The company has been in continuous engagement with the authorities as per the due process established under law and has shared data on other same or similar milk-based products in the category to reflect the presence of naturally occurring phosphorus,” he further said.

FSSAI Lab Findings and Subsequent Action

Earlier, a sample of low-fat dairy whitener manufactured by the food brand and collected from the premises of a hotel chain in Connaught Place, New Delhi, was declared “substandard” and “unsafe” in a Food Analyst’s laboratory report under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said.

According to the findings, the sample was drawn from the premises of the hotel chain in Connaught Place in the national capital. The Food Analyst’s laboratory report found the sample to be “substandard” and “unsafe”, indicating non-compliance with the provisions of the FSS Act, 2006. A copy of the laboratory analysis report was provided to the Food Business Operator (FBO) for reference and necessary action. Following the findings, a notice was issued to the hotel chain regarding the non-compliant product.

Meanwhile, an official statement from the hotel chain is yet to be released on the issue. The FBO was provided an opportunity to appeal against the Food Analyst’s report under the FSS Act, 2006, within the prescribed period. The FBO was also directed to immediately prohibit the sale of the identified unsafe food product. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)