FSSAI penalises AWL Agri over substandard fortified sunflower oil

MUMBAI: This time, the oil has hit a regulatory snag. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has imposed a penalty on AWL Agri Business Ltd, maker of Fortune edible oils, after a sample of its fortified sunflower oil was found to fall short of prescribed nutrient levels.

The action concerns Fortune Fryola Refined Sunflower Seed Oil, manufactured at AWL Agri’s Mangalore facility. A one-litre sample collected from Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa in Goa was tested by the primary food laboratory and found to contain Vitamin A and Vitamin D below the levels prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018.

The product was subsequently classified as ‘substandard’ under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

AWL Agri challenged the initial findings and sought a re-analysis of the sample. However, a referral laboratory also found that the Vitamin D content remained significantly below the mandated range, reinforcing the original finding.

Following the confirmation, the Central Licensing Authority sanctioned prosecution and an adjudication application was filed. The Adjudicating Officer in Goa subsequently passed an order imposing a penalty on AWL Agri for manufacturing and marketing the substandard fortified edible oil.

FSSAI has not disclosed the amount of the penalty.

AWL Agri, however, has disputed the broader interpretation of the action. In a statement, the company said it had not yet received a certified copy of the order and understood the matter to concern the Vitamin D fortification level in a single sample.

The company also said the matter was not a product safety concern and that the sample was safe for consumption. It pointed to the sensitivity of added vitamins to factors including storage conditions, light and time, and said it was reviewing the order and would pursue appropriate legal remedies.

AWL Agri reiterated its commitment to complying with FSSAI norms.

The case comes amid stepped-up scrutiny by FSSAI of food and beverage companies over product quality, fortification, labelling and advertising claims. The regulator has recently taken action involving packaged food brands, online food sellers and beverage companies.

The latest development also follows FSSAI’s action against Dabur India over products carrying claims such as ‘100% Natural’, ‘100% Pure’, ‘100% Purity Guaranteed’ and ‘100% Organic’. The Delhi High Court has since stayed that order pending further proceedings.

The AWL Agri case puts the spotlight on another side of food regulation: fortified products, where compliance is not just about what appears on the label but whether the promised nutrient levels are actually maintained in the product.

Fortified edible oils are designed to provide added nutrients such as Vitamin A and Vitamin D, making consistency in nutrient levels particularly important for both regulatory compliance and consumer expectations.

For FSSAI, the case also highlights a multi-stage enforcement process, with the original laboratory findings followed by a referral laboratory assessment before the matter moved to adjudication.

As food regulators tighten their watch, FMCG companies are likely to face greater pressure to ensure that fortified products, nutritional claims and packaging statements can withstand not just the marketing test, but the laboratory test too.