FSSAI Directs PIE FOODS To Immediately Stop Selling Two Products

Food regulator FSSAI has ordered PIE FOODS to stop selling its two products -- Monk Fruit Extract Sweetener & Monk Fruit Sweetener Drops -- citing violations of labelling norms.

In a social media post on Friday, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) informed that it has issued a prohibition order to PIE FOODS "regarding sale of Monk Fruit Extract Sweetener and Monk Fruit Sweetener Drops".

During an inspection, FSSAI observed that a few carton boxes carried the label 'Marketed by PIE FOODS' without a valid Relabeller KoB (Kind of business) endorsement in the FSSAI licence. That apart, the company was operating an e-commerce website without endorsing the required e-commerce (KOB) in its licence.

In addition, the regulator pointed out that the product labels lacked mandatory declarations and carried claims such as '100% Monk Fruit Extract' and 'Natural Ingredients', while the e-commerce website displayed the claim 'Doctor Recommended'.

These are in violation of the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, the FSS Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.

Hence, the FSSAI directed PIE FOODS to "immediately stop the sale of Monk Fruit Extract Sweetener and Monk Fruit Sweetener Drops containing monk fruit extract".

The company was told to obtain a valid FSSAI central licence with the required endorsements, as well as secure the necessary approval for the non-specified food ingredient (Monk Fruit Extract).