FSSAI recalls Everest cumin powder batch over excess pesticide residues
Synopsis
India's top food regulator has ordered the recall of a batch of Everest cumin powder after independent lab tests confirmed the presence of two pesticides — Azoxystrobin and Thiamethoxam — above permitted levels. The sample was picked up from a Goa resort, and the finding was upheld even after the manufacturer appealed, underscoring that regulatory surveillance in India's spice sector is tightening.
Key Takeaways
FSSAI on 4 October 2026 ordered the recall of Everest pre-packed cumin powder bearing Batch No.
Tests detected Azoxystrobin and Thiamethoxam pesticide residues above the prescribed maximum limits.
The sample was collected from Riverside Resorts & Holiday Homes Pvt.
A Referral Food Laboratory confirmed the product 'unsafe' after the manufacturer appealed the initial findings.
The food business operator must submit recall records, status reports, corrective action plans, and a final compliance report to FSSAI.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Sunday, 4 October 2026, ordered the immediate recall of a specific batch of Everest-brand pre-packed cumin powder after laboratory tests detected pesticide residues exceeding permissible limits, classifying the product as 'unsafe' under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The affected batch — bearing Batch No. E080668761 — has been directed off the market nationwide.
What the Tests Found
According to the FSSAI notification, the regulatory sample was collected from the premises of Riverside Resorts & Holiday Homes Pvt. Ltd. in Goa. The food analyst's report identified residues of two pesticides — Azoxystrobin and Thiamethoxam — at levels exceeding the prescribed maximum residue limits set under Indian food safety regulations.
The manufacturer was given an opportunity to challenge the findings. Following this appeal, the sample was referred to a Referral Food Laboratory, which independently confirmed the earlier assessment: the product was unsafe for consumption due to excessive pesticide contamination.
Regulator's Directives to the Company
FSSAI has issued multiple compliance requirements to the food business operator (FBO). The company has been directed to maintain complete records of all recalled products, submit mandatory recall information and status reports within stipulated timelines, and implement corrective measures to prevent recurrence.
'The Food Analyst declared the sample UNSAFE under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006,' the regulator stated in its notification, adding that the Referral Food Laboratory subsequently confirmed this finding.
A compliance report must be submitted upon completion of the recall process, the FSSAI added.
Why This Matters for Consumers
Azoxystrobin is a broad-spectrum fungicide, while Thiamethoxam is a systemic insecticide — both are used in agricultural production but are subject to strict maximum residue limits in food products. Prolonged or high-level exposure to pesticide residues above permitted thresholds is associated with potential health risks, according to food safety experts.
This recall is a reminder that routine regulatory surveillance — the sample was drawn not from a factory but from a hospitality business's premises in Goa — plays a critical role in catching non-compliant products already in the supply chain. Notably, Everest is one of India's most widely recognised spice brands, which gives the recall significantly higher public health relevance than a comparable action against a lesser-known label.
Background and Broader Context
This is not the first time Indian spice brands have faced international or domestic scrutiny over pesticide residues. In 2024, both Everest and MDH products were subject to import alerts by food regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore over similar concerns. The latest FSSAI action signals that domestic regulators are continuing heightened surveillance of the spice sector.
The recall process and its outcomes will be closely watched by industry and consumer groups, with the compliance report expected to clarify the scale of product withdrawal from the market.
Point of View
And tests done at a hospitality venue rather than a retail outlet suggest surveillance has broadened. What is missing from FSSAI's public communication is the scale: how much of Batch No. E080668761 is in circulation, and across which states? Without that transparency, consumers cannot make informed choices. For a brand as ubiquitous as Everest, the absence of a proactive consumer-facing recall notice — the kind international regulators routinely mandate — is a gap the regulator should close.
NationPress
4 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Everest product has been recalled by FSSAI?
FSSAI has ordered the recall of Everest-brand pre-packed cumin powder bearing Batch No. E080668761 after laboratory tests found pesticide residues above permissible limits. The product has been classified as 'unsafe' under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
What pesticides were found in the Everest cumin powder?
The tests identified residues of two pesticides — Azoxystrobin, a fungicide, and Thiamethoxam, a systemic insecticide — at levels exceeding the maximum residue limits prescribed under Indian food safety regulations.
Where was the sample collected from?
The regulatory sample was collected from the premises of Riverside Resorts & Holiday Homes Pvt. Ltd. in Goa, not directly from the manufacturer or a retail store, indicating FSSAI's supply-chain surveillance extended to the hospitality sector.
What happens after a company appeals an FSSAI food analyst's finding?
The sample is referred to an independent Referral Food Laboratory for a second assessment. In this case, that laboratory confirmed the original finding that the Everest cumin powder batch was unsafe, after which the recall was formally ordered.
What must Everest's manufacturer do following the recall order?
The food business operator must maintain complete records of all recalled products, submit recall information and status reports to FSSAI within stipulated timelines, implement corrective measures to prevent recurrence, and submit a compliance report once the recall is complete.
