FSSAI orders recall of coriander powder and carrageenan
Synopsis
The FSSAI has cracked down on two food manufacturers, ordering an immediate nationwide recall of Shalimar’s Chef coriander powder and Aquagri's carrageenan after laboratory testing detected hazardous pesticide residues and toxic cadmium levels that failed mandatory appeal retests.
Key Takeaways
The FSSAI ordered an immediate recall of two products for violating statutory safety norms under the FSS Act, 2006 .
Shalimar’s Chef Coriander Powder by Nilgiri Oil & Allied Industries failed safety parameters due to non-compliant pesticide residues .
Carrageenan manufactured by Aquagri Processing Pvt Ltd was found to contain hazardous levels of cadmium above permissible limits.
Secondary appeals and re-testing by a Referral Food Laboratory confirmed the unsafe findings for both items.
Recalls must be executed strictly under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Recall Procedure) Regulations, 2017 .
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in New Delhi has ordered an immediate market recall of two commercial food products — Shalimar’s Chef Coriander Powder and Carrageenan — after laboratory evaluations confirmed they were unsafe for human consumption. Regulatory testing revealed that the batches violated mandatory safety norms under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 due to chemical contamination. The apex food regulator directed both manufacturing firms to withdraw the affected lots from distribution chains nationwide without delay.
Why the products were declared unsafe
The enforcement action impacts products manufactured by Nilgiri Oil & Allied Industries and Aquagri Processing Pvt Ltd. According to official notices issued by the regulator, statutory inspectors lifted samples of Shalimar’s Chef - Coriander Powder directly from the operating premises of Nilgiri Oil & Allied Industries. Subsequent analytical testing demonstrated that the spice sample was unsatisfactory regarding pesticide residues and failed to conform to statutory thresholds set under relevant food product and contaminant regulations.
In a parallel proceeding, the FSSAI flagged a consignment of Carrageenan — a widely used food-grade thickening and stabilizing additive — produced by Aquagri Processing Pvt Ltd. Laboratory tests established the presence of cadmium, a hazardous heavy metal, at concentrations far exceeding legally permissible parameters. Consequently, designated food analysts classified both sampled items as legally unsafe for retail distribution or commercial food preparation.
Failed appeals and confirmatory retesting
Under statutory provisions of the FSS Act, 2006, both food business operators were granted procedural recourse to challenge the primary lab findings. The manufacturers exercised their statutory right to appeal, triggering formal retesting protocols. A second sample of the coriander powder underwent re-examination, which once again confirmed non-compliance regarding unauthorized pesticide residue levels.
Similarly, the carrageenan sample was referred to an apex Referral Food Laboratory for definitive re-analysis. The secondary findings corroborated the initial report, determining that the elevated cadmium levels rendered the substance non-compliant with prescribed safety guidelines. Following these confirmatory results, authorities reaffirmed the unsafe classification for both commercial products.
Mandatory recall protocol and enforcement
With both appeals exhausted, the FSSAI ordered both manufacturers to execute immediate product recalls under the binding framework of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Recall Procedure) Regulations, 2017. The companies must trace, isolate, and retrieve every affected unit across wholesale, retail, and supply channels. The regulator cautioned that manufacturing products in contravention of existing food safety benchmarks carries strict statutory liability, with regional surveillance teams tasked to ensure full operational compliance across state boundaries.
Point of View
Domestic spice and additive processing has faced scrutiny abroad for pesticide and heavy-metal contamination, often leading to export rejections before triggering equal domestic alarm. That secondary confirmatory testing at referral laboratories upheld the primary unsafe classifications proves the systemic nature of these manufacturing lapses. The critical challenge now lies in enforcement: without transparent batch-level tracking, consumer-level recalls in India remain notoriously difficult to audit effectively.
NationPress
13 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which products has the FSSAI ordered to be recalled?
The FSSAI has ordered an immediate recall of Shalimar’s Chef - Coriander Powder produced by Nilgiri Oil & Allied Industries and Carrageenan manufactured by Aquagri Processing Pvt Ltd.
Why was Shalimar’s Chef Coriander Powder declared unsafe?
Laboratory testing revealed that regulatory samples of the coriander powder contained pesticide residues exceeding prescribed regulatory limits under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.
What contamination was found in Aquagri’s carrageenan?
Testing confirmed that the carrageenan sample contained excessive levels of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, well beyond permissible safety thresholds.
Did the manufacturers challenge the lab findings?
Yes, both food business operators appealed the initial findings, but subsequent re-testing, including analysis by a Referral Food Laboratory, confirmed that both products remained unsafe and non-compliant.
