New Delhi: The Western Regional Office of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has initiated enforcement action against a manufacturer of alkaline water after detecting the use of non-permitted ingredients and multiple labelling violations at its manufacturing unit in Vadodara.

The action was initiated following a consumer complaint filed through the Food Safety Connect portal, alleging that the Food Business Operator (FBO) had failed to address grievances related to the product.

Based on the complaint, FSSAI officials carried out a post-licence inspection at the company’s manufacturing facility in Savli near Vadodara. During the inspection, officials found several violations, including the absence of the product name on the front label, missing ingredient declarations, and the presence of visible black particles in the finished product.

Further technical scrutiny revealed additional non-compliances such as unexplained blackish-brown coloration, sediment formation, and contradictory descriptions on the primary and secondary packaging.

Considering the seriousness of the violations, officials seized stock worth approximately Rs 31.61 lakh and initiated proceedings under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.

Subsequent laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of fulvic acid, a substance not permitted under current FSSAI regulations. Investigators found that the substance originated from the addition of black mineral materials and was not naturally present in the raw or processed water.

FSSAI stated that the findings constituted a clear violation of food safety standards and reiterated its commitment to ensuring that food products sold to consumers are safe, properly labelled, and compliant with regulations. DeshGujarat