FSSAI takes pro-active, industry-centred approach: Nestle

In a marked shift from its earlier approach, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has evolved into a more proactive and industry-centred regulator over the past decade, Nestle India Chairman and MD Suresh Narayanan told PTI.

Reflecting on the transformation, Narayanan praised the food safety body's faster responses and enhanced transparency, calling it a "dramatic change in tone and tenor."

The comments were made during a media roundtable where Narayanan emphasized the significant strides taken by FSSAI since the Maggi noodles controversy in 2015.

FSSAi banned Maggi noodles in June 2015, alleging elevated head levels, which led to a temporary removal from shelves and highlighted the need for stricter industry oversight.

Established in 2008, FSSAI only gained nationwide attention following this crisis. Narayanan, who steered Nestle India through the Maggi turmoil, noted that FSSAI's credibility has since strengthened with the establishment of National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)-accredited labs, enhancing testing reliability.

Nestle’s partnership with FSSAI remains “cordial and respectful,” Narayanan stated, especially in light of recent product testing challenges, such as a pan-India analysis of Nestle's Cerelac in response to sugar content allegations earlier this year. Nestle recently launched 14 new Cerelac variants as part of its ongoing expansion in India.

Earlier this year, the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) dismissed two petitions from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs seeking a cumulative ₹640 crore in damages from Nestle over the Maggi issue, closing a long-standing chapter in the saga.