‘Fully compliant’: Nestlé India responds to FSSAI action over infant nutrition products

New Delhi: Nestlé India firmly asserted that its infant nutrition products, NAN EXCELLA PRO and LACTOGEN PRO, adhere to all relevant regulations following legal action by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The spokesperson clarified that these products, along with their labels, received approval from an FSSAI expert committee. The company submitted a comprehensive response to the regulator regarding the factual nature of the statements on the labels, backed by scientific literature.

In response to the notice, Nestlé India reiterated its commitment to regulatory requirements and pledged continued cooperation with the food safety regulator. The spokesperson affirmed the company's adherence to all laws, including label declarations, and its intention to support FSSAI's efforts in consumer awareness.

FSSAI initiated the legal action after examining NAN EXCELLA PRO Stage 1 and LACTOGEN PRO 1, as well as promotional material on e-commerce platforms. The regulator observed claims about "5 HMOs" and "Whey Protein" for NAN LACTOGEN PRO Stage 1, and declared that "Whey Protein" in LACTOGEN PRO 1 was easy to digest. FSSAI sought clarifications from Nestlé India, which subsequently found the two products in violation of Regulation 4(2) of the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020, which prohibits promotional claims intended to boost infant food sales.

Additionally, a sample of a follow-up formula from Nestlé India was found sub-standard in Biotin content during laboratory analysis, failing to meet the prescribed Biotin requirement.