FSSAI Cracks Down: Everest Spice Pulled Over Pesticides, Bakery License Suspended for Filth

India's food safety watchdog, the FSSAI, has come down hard on two major food businesses: ordering Everest Food Products to immediately recall a batch of its popular cumin powder due to unsafe pesticide levels, and simultaneously suspending the license of West Bengal's Creative Bakers and Confectioners over shocking hygiene failures. This double-whammy action, announced Sunday, underscores a nationwide tightening of food safety standards and sends a clear message to the industry. The Everest recall, affecting batch number E080668761 of its pre-packed cumin powder, follows laboratory tests that found residues of Azoxystrobin and Thiamethoxam exceeding safe limits after a sample was taken in Goa. Meanwhile, Creative Bakers, known for its 'The Sugarr & Spice' chain, had its license suspended after inspectors found a horror show of dirt, grease, dust, cobwebs, and flies in food production areas, along with rusted equipment and open storage of perishable ingredients. These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges in a country where one in five food samples fail safety checks and underscore the FSSAI recent shift to more aggressive, risk-based inspection. With the FSSAI actively publicizing enforcement actions on social media and having implemented new regulations in 2026, including perpetual license validity but stricter compliance, other food business operator should be on high alert. Everest is now tasked with providing detailed recall reports and implementing corrective measures to prevent future contamination, while Creative Bakers must cease all operations. This crackdown signals a sustained push for better food quality and hygiene, ensuring consumer health remains paramount as festive demand rises.