**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided on December 12, 2025, by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in response to Unstarred Question No. 2263 regarding the quality of food products from well-known brands. It clarifies the role of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in regulating food standards and enforcement. A sampling drive on spices in 2024-25 found Patanjali's red chili powder from Uttarakhand unsafe, leading to a recall order.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **FSSAI Mandate:**
* FSSAI is mandated to establish science-based standards for food articles and regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import.
* The aim is to ensure safe and wholesome food availability for human consumption.
* **Enforcement and Compliance:**
* The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is a shared responsibility between Central and State Governments.
* FSSAI and its regional offices, along with State/UT food safety authorities, conduct regular localized/targeted special enforcement and surveillance drives, including the National Annual Surveillance Plan (NASP).
* **Regulatory Actions:**
* Food business operators (FBOs) are subject to regulatory actions, including punitive measures, if deviations from standards or violations of the FSSR are observed.
* **Sampling Drive Findings:**
* During a sampling drive in 2024–25, a sample of red chili powder from Patanjali Foods' Uttarakhand unit was declared unsafe.
* The pesticide residue levels exceeded the prescribed Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs).
* The concerned authority issued a recall order, and the FBO initiated the withdrawal of the affected product from the market.
* **Amul Products:**
* No samples of products from the Amul brand have been reported as unsafe against the parameters specified under the Food Safety & Standards Regulations.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Food Business Operators (FBOs)
* **Impact:** FBOs are subject to stringent standards and regulations under the FSS Act 2006 and FSSR. They face potential regulatory and punitive actions for non-compliance, including product recalls.
* **Action Required:** FBOs need to ensure their products meet the FSSAI standards and comply with the FSSR to avoid regulatory actions. They must implement effective monitoring and control systems to ensure food safety.
**Stakeholder:** Consumers
* **Impact:** Consumers are impacted by the Government's effort to ensure food safety and quality.
* **Action Required:** No action is required.
**Stakeholder:** Government (Central and State) and Regulatory Bodies (FSSAI, State/UT food safety authorities)
* **Impact:** Are responsible for enforcing the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR). They carry out regular inspections and surveillance to ensure compliance.
* **Action Required:** They must continue to conduct localized/targeted special enforcement and surveillance drives, to ensure the safety and quality of food products in the market.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for overseeing health and family welfare policies and programs, including food safety regulations.
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: A key Indian legislation that regulates food safety and standards, establishing a framework for regulating the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): The regulatory body in India responsible for setting and enforcing food safety standards.
Food Safety & Standards Regulations (FSSR): Regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 that define specific standards and limits for food products.
Patanjali: An Indian consumer goods company whose food products were mentioned regarding purity and quality standards.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2263
TO BE ANSWEREDON12TH DECEMBER, 2025
QUALITYOFFOODPRODUCTS
2263. MS.MAHUAMOITRA:
Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a)whether asperreportsfrom food safety authority, certainfood products of well-known
brandsincludingPatanjali andAmul have not qualifiedthe purityandquality standards, if so, the
details thereof along with the places where such samples were tested and the nature of
deficienciesfound inthese products;
(b) whether the Government has taken/proposes to take action against the concerned companies
underthe FoodSafety andStandardsAct, if so, the detailsthereof; and
(c)the steps taken/proposed tobe taken bythe Government toensure thatonlyquality-tested and
safe food productsare made available toconsumers inthe market?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (c): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandated to lay down
science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage,
distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human
consumption.
The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is a
shared responsibility between the Central andState Governments. Toensure compliancewith the
set standards, limits, & other statutory requirements under the FSS Act, 2006 andFood Safety &
Standards Regulations (FSSR), FSSAI and its regional offices through State/UT food safety
authorities, conducts regular localized/targeted special enforcement and surveillance drivesincluding National Annual Surveillance Plan (NASP), inspections and sampling activities
throughout the year. If anydeviations from the standards or violations to the FSSR are observed,
the defaulting food business operators (FBOs) are subject to regulatory actions, including
punitive measures,asstipulatedundertheFSSAct2006anditsassociatedrules.
During a sampling drive on spices in 2024–25, a sample of red chilli powder collected
from the Uttarakhand-based manufacturing unit of Patanjali Foods was declared unsafe, as the
detected pesticide residue levels exceeded the prescribed Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs).
Based on the test findings, the concerned authority issued a recall order, following which the
FBOinitiatedthe withdrawalof theaffectedproduct fromthe market.
No samples of products from the Amul brand have been reported as unsafe against the
parametersspecifiedundertheFoodSafety& StandardsRegulations.
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