SRINAGAR: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Jammu and Kashmir, has banned the sale of a batch of snack dressing (sauce) marketed under the brand Nirmal Fruits Products across the Union Territory after it was declared unsafe and misbranded by the National Food Laboratory (NFL), Ghaziabad.
The FDA has also ordered the immediate recall of the affected batch from the market, saying the action has been taken to safeguard public health under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
According to the order, the prohibited product is Snack Dressing (Sauce), Batch No. 02, manufactured on May 2, 2026, with an expiry date of May 1, 2027. The one-litre packs were manufactured by M/s Nirmal Fruits Products at the Industrial Estate, Akhnoor, Jammu.
Officials said the sample was collected by the Food Safety Officer, Akhnoor, from the manufacturer’s premises on May 16, 2026, and sent to the National Food Laboratory, Ghaziabad, for analysis. The laboratory subsequently declared the sample unsafe and misbranded under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Following the laboratory report, the Designated Officer, Food Safety, Jammu Rural, had initially prohibited the sale of the batch within Jammu district. The Commissioner, Food Safety, has now extended the ban across Jammu and Kashmir, citing public health concerns.
The FDA has directed all food business operators, including distributors, wholesalers and retailers, to immediately stop the sale and distribution of the affected batch, withdraw existing stock from the market, inform the concerned Designated Officer about the stock available with them, and initiate its recall without delay.
Enforcement officials have been instructed to ensure strict implementation of the order and initiate legal action wherever the banned batch is found on sale.
The FDA has also appealed to consumers not to use the affected batch and to report its availability or any suspected case of unsafe food through the toll-free helpline 104 or by emailing [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).
