NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to several food business operators (FBOs) for misleading claims and labelling violations.
The food regulator has directed these FBOs, who violated the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2026, to strictly comply with the established regulations and to take corrective measures.
Among the brands that have been asked to submit an explanation within seven days as to why action should not be initiated under the provisions of the FSS Act, 2006, and the Rules and Regulations are Heritage Foods Limited ‘Fresh Paneer,’ Dia Foods ‘La Casa Vegan Hazelnut Chocolate spread,’ and Cipzer Natraceuticals ‘Juice capsules.’
The FSSAI said that the complaint against Heritage Foods Limited is that they have used a misleading claim, "fresh paneer," which does not satisfy the conditions stipulated under Schedule V for the use of the term "fresh."
Accordingly, the use of the word "fresh" is liable to mislead consumers and is considered misleading.
The use of the term "healthy" in the trademark/name "healthy happiness" is not in conformity with Regulation 8(3) of the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.
The use of the term "healthy" is likely to create the impression that the product inherently promotes or enhances health, thus rendering the claim misleading.
On Cipzer Nutraceuticals' Juice Capsule, FSSAI said the notice has been issued regarding misleading claims, including "FSSAI approved," "boost your immune system," "remove toxins from your body," and "made with organic vegetables" marked on the product.
The food regulator said the non-compliances that were observed were that the product bears the claim "FSSAI Approved," which is liable to create a false impression that the product has been specifically endorsed or approved by FSSAI and appears to be misleading and deceptive.
The product bears the health claims "boost your immune system" and "remove toxins from your body."
However, no scientific substantiation has been provided. The front of the pack depicts images of tomato, cucumber, broccoli, cabbage and coriander, whereas these ingredients are not declared as ingredients of the product.
The product label declares the presence of Vitamin C and Vitamin E. However, the quantity of Vitamin E has not been declared, and Vitamin C is only 0.1%, and the label neither provides the percentage contribution towards RDA nor furnishes adequate information to establish the prescribed criteria.
Further, the use of the term "Made with Organic Vegetables" creates an impression that the product is organic. However, the product does not display the prescribed organic certification marks/logos, including the Jaivik Bharat logo.
In the case of La Casa Vegan Hazelnut Chocolate Spread, the FSSAI said the claims, including "all natural," "100% organic," and "vegan", were made on the product.
The claim "all natural" does not satisfy the conditions stipulated under Schedule V for the use of the term "natural" and is liable to mislead consumers.
The use of the terms "100% organic" and "vegan" creates an impression that the product is organic and vegan. However, the product has not obtained prior approval for organic food and vegan food endorsement under an FSSAI licence.
As per the advisory dated May 28, the usage of the term "100%" is not defined or referenced under the FSS Act, 2006, or the Rules and Regulations made thereunder. Accordingly, usage of the term "100% organic" is misleading.
The FSSAI in the past two weeks have served notices on various brands for misleading claims.
Heritage Foods Limited has responded to the FSSAI show cause notice regarding the use of the expressions "Fresh Paneer" and "Health and Happiness" on the packaging of its Fresh Paneer product.
The company stated that "Fresh Paneer" is a descriptive term reflecting the product's nature as a fresh dairy item made from pasteurised milk, packed immediately after production, maintained under a continuous cold chain, and sold as a refrigerated product without added preservatives. It argued that the term distinguishes the product from frozen or long shelf-life variants and is widely used across the dairy industry.
Addressing concerns over the phrase "Health and Happiness," Heritage Foods said it is a long-standing corporate slogan representing the company's philosophy and is not intended as a health or nutrition claim for the product.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to food safety, regulatory compliance and consumer transparency, noting that its packaging includes all mandatory declarations, such as manufacturing date, use-by date and storage instructions. Heritage Foods has requested FSSAI to consider its submissions and expressed confidence that its product labelling complies with applicable regulations.