FSSAI Initiates Legal Action Against Nestle India Over Baby Food Promotional Claims and Biotin Quality

India's food safety regulator has launched legal proceedings against Nestle India, alleging that three infant nutrition products breached compliance standards through improper promotional claims on e-commerce platforms and a follow-up formula that tested below required biotin levels. On Friday, 18 September, the food safety authority announced it had initiated three distinct adjudication proceedings against the firm on the basis of regulatory inspections and laboratory analysis. An FSSAI adjudication order against Nestle India's Unit I and Unit II found that promotional materials for NAN Excella Pro Stage 1 featured assertions about '5 HMOs' (human milk oligosaccharides) and 'whey protein', while packaging for Lactogen Pro 1 described its 'whey protein' as being 'easy to digest'. Nestle India's stock dropped by approximately 3% at its lowest point during the trading session following the regulatory announcement, though it later pared those losses to close largely unchanged. Both items were found to have breached Regulation 4(2) under the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020, according to the regulatory authority. That clause prohibits advertising content or materials designed to boost the commercial appeal of baby food products. The FSSAI also invoked Section 3 of the Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992, a provision that bars the advertising and commercial promotion of those products. A batch of Nestle India's follow-on formula was found to have fallen short of required nutritional standards, separate from the company's marketing compliance issues. Laboratory testing revealed the product's biotin levels fell below the prescribed threshold, and a subsequent referral to a second testing facility confirmed that the sample did not meet the biotin requirements outlined in the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020, according to FSSAI. Current regulations set an accepted reference range for vitamin B7, also called biotin, in infant food products. Nestle India maintained that its product range and promotional practices comply with applicable regulatory requirements. A Nestlé India representative stated that the company's product range meets all relevant regulatory requirements. The items in question, along with their packaging information, received clearance from FSSAI's specialist review panel. The company stated that a thorough reply had been filed with the relevant authorities addressing the label content, which it described as factual and grounded in peer-reviewed research, while also affirming full compliance with all applicable regulations, standards, and labelling requirements. The representative noted that collaboration with FSSAI on consumer awareness initiatives would be maintained on an ongoing basis.

FSSAI Initiates Legal Action Against Nestle India Over Baby Food Promotional Claims and Biotin Quality

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FSSAI Initiates Legal Action Against Nestle India Over Baby Food Promotional Claims and Biotin Quality

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