NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Friday suspended the manufacturing license of Rehaan Healthcare after inspections found what the regulatory body called “serious non-compliance” and unsanitary conditions at the company’s health supplements and nutraceuticals manufacturing unit.
Rehaan Healthcare, which manufactures digestive syrup, vitamin syrup and other syrup-based nutritional products, has been directed to stop production until all deficiencies are rectified and verified by the relevant authority, FSSAI said in a statement.
Rehaan Healthcare, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Mohali, says on its website that it provides “scalable offshore manufacturing solutions”.
“Quality is not just a process at Rehan Healthcare, it is our responsibility. Every batch is manufactured using carefully sourced raw materials, tested as per set quality parameters, and produced as per stringent hygiene and safety standards. We ensure that our products meet applicable AYUSH and food safety guidelines, helping our customers deliver compliant and trustworthy products to the market…”, the company stated on its website.
However, the FSSAI said its inspection found the manufacturing premises to be “totally unsanitary and unorganised”.
According to the inspection report, food safety officials found spider webs, mold growth, flies, insects and exposed food waste inside the manufacturing area. “Deposits of filth and sludge accumulated under the manufacturing tank, unorganized storage of raw materials and poor housekeeping have created a high risk of cross-contamination,” the FSSAI said.
The regulatory body also cited major deficiencies in infrastructure and facilities, including inadequate storage arrangements, inadequate work space, poor ventilation and lighting, damaged infrastructure, pest infestation, and lack of a valid drinking water testing report.
“As the unit manufactures health supplements and nutraceuticals, a high-risk category of food consumed by children and other vulnerable groups, the unsanitary conditions and failure of food safety controls pose a serious and imminent threat to public health,” FSSAI said in its statement.
The regulatory body gave the manufacturing unit an overall compliance score of just 12%.
She said the low score indicated “a very serious failure and non-compliance with the current provisions.” “FSSAI license has been suspended with immediate effect,” the Food Safety Authority added in a social media post on Friday.
The FSSAI has directed the company to immediately discontinue all food business activities until the deficiencies are corrected and compliance is verified by the competent authority.
The regulator also warned of legal action if the company violates the suspension order.
“The FBO (Food Business Operator) is directed to immediately cease all food trading activities… Any violation of this order warrants appropriate legal action under the FSSA 2006,” the statement read.
Rayhan healthcare response???
In recent months, the FSSAI has intensified enforcement action against food business operators for misleading claims and labeling violations. It has also issued notices to several e-commerce platforms. The regulator said these measures are based on consumer complaints, spontaneous awareness and routine enforcement activities carried out by food safety officers.
Operations control mission
