FSSAI orders Everest cumin powder recall and suspends Sugarr & Spice licence

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered Everest Food Products to pull a batch of its pre-packed cumin powder from the market after laboratory tests found excessive levels of chemical pesticides.

Alongside the spice recall, the regulator has suspended the manufacturing licence of Creative Bakers and Confectioners, which runs the popular confectionery and bakery chain The Sugarr & Spice in eastern India, citing severe hygiene failures.

Cumin powder tested unsafe

The Everest product recall was triggered by a regulatory sample of pre-packed cumin powder taken from the premises of Riverside Resorts & Holiday Homes in Goa.

According to the FSSAI, a food analyst's report found residues of two pesticides, azoxystrobin and thiamethoxam, at concentrations exceeding the legally prescribed maximum limits. The regulator subsequently declared the sample "unsafe" under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Everest was given the opportunity to appeal against the findings, prompting the regulator to send the sample to a referral food laboratory. However, the referral lab upheld the original findings, confirming that the pesticide levels were indeed too high.

Following this second test, the FSSAI ordered the immediate withdrawal of the entire affected batch. The spice manufacturer has been directed to keep exhaustive records of the recalled stock, submit status reports, and outline the corrective measures it is taking to prevent a recurrence.

Sugarr & Spice licence suspended

In a separate enforcement action, the FSSAI shut down operations at Creative Bakers and Confectioners. Officials suspended the company's licence with immediate effect, pointing to a long list of sanitary and safety failures.

During a recent inspection of the company's facilities, inspectors observed dirt, grease, dust, cobwebs, and flies in areas where food was being processed and handled. Raw ingredients that should have been kept cold were found sitting out in the open, and rusted, poorly cleaned containers were being used to store both raw materials and semi-finished goods.

The inspection report also highlighted significant pest infestations, noting ineffective fly control, inadequate rodent measures, and windows left wide open without protective insect-proof mesh. Piles of accumulated waste, expired stock, and discarded scrap metal had also been allowed to pile up in food-handling zones.

Beyond physical cleanliness, the FSSAI flagged serious gaps in the firm's administrative controls. The company had failed to maintain proper records for water and finished-product testing, temperature monitoring, equipment calibration, and product recall plans. Under the terms of the suspension, the baker must halt all food production immediately.

Delhi dairy whitener flagged

In another separate case, the FSSAI announced that a sample of low-fat dairy whitener, collected from a hotel chain in Connaught Place, New Delhi, failed safety checks. A food analyst's laboratory report classified the product as both "substandard" and "unsafe" under national food regulations. The regulator did not name the manufacturer of the dairy whitener but confirmed the business operator had been served with the findings.

The regulatory crackdown comes during an intensified enforcement campaign by the FSSAI, which has spent recent months stepping up inspections of traditional food producers and digital e-commerce platforms. The regulator has taken to using its social media channels to announce its actions directly to consumers.