The US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has rejected many India made food products this year for presence of adulterants such as pesticide chemical.
In this regard, in a recent 'Import Refusal Report,' Haldiram’s, a popular Indian snacks brand, had maximum number of rejections on its name under snacks category. The report lists refusal actions taken by the FDA against imported products.
The other companies named were Adani Food Products Pvt. Ltd, Anand Business Co., Bajaj Foods Ltd (factory), Cavinkare Pvt. Ltd, Economic Food Solutions Pvt. Ltd, Nilamel Exports, Ranjit Foods Pvt. Ltd, Sapthsathi Organic Agriculture Project, and Surya International.
Interestingly, in January, US FDA had refused import permission to Nestle under noodles category. Later, in February, it had issued a import refusal report in which it claimed that the article - Fried Snack Foods, N.E.C of Haldiram's - is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) in that it appears to be adulterated because it contains a pesticide chemical, which is in violation of Section 402(a)(2)(B).
A total of 20 such snacks were refused permission in February.
In an Import Alert # 23-14 Published on May 28, 2015, for detention without physical examination of food products due to the presence of Aflatoxin, the US FDA listed several companies of total 29 countries along with 10 Indian food companies wherein Haldiram’s had six numbers of its products.
However experts felt that this was a regular kind of action, which US FDA was known to take. Similar rejections were reported in 2014 as well.
As for Nestle, US FDA issued refusal report on three accounts – labelling, nutrition and ingredients. One of such rejection report says that the article appears in violation of FPLA because of its placement, form and/or contents statement. “Further the article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act in that it appears to be misbranded within the meaning of Section 403(i)(2) of the FD&C Act in that it is fabricated from two or more ingredients and the label fails to bear the common or usual name of each such ingredient and/or the article purports to be a beverage containing vegetable or fruit juice, but does not bear a statement with appropriate prominence on the information panel of the total percentage of such fruit or vegetable juice contained in the food. [Misbranded, Section 403(i)(2)]."
