Nestle India Dairy Whitener Flagged Unsafe by FSSAI; Company Issues Clarification on Phosphorus Levels

A sample of Nestlé India’s Low Fat Dairy Whitener collected from The Lalit hotel in New Delhi has been declared unsafe and substandard by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), prompting an order to immediately stop its sale at the premises.

Sample Drawn from Delhi Hotel

The sample was taken from the premises of M/s Bharat Hotels Ltd., which operates The Lalit in Connaught Place. Laboratory analysis by a food analyst found the product non-compliant under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Nestle Low Fat Dairy Whitener Found Unsafe at The Lalit in Delhi, FSSAI Orders Immediate Sale Ban.

FSSAI Calls It Nestle's Low Fat Dairy Whitener 'Unsafe' And 'Substandard'

A sample of Nestlé "Low Fat Dairy Whitener" collected from M/s Bharat Hotels Ltd. (The Lalit), New Delhi, has been declared UNSAFE & SUBSTANDARD by Food Analyst reports under the FSS Act 2006.

Directives have been issued to immediately prohibit the sale of product

#FSSAINotice pic.twitter.com/4aVEOV7gx9

— FSSAI (@fssaiindia) October 3, 2026

FSSAI shared a copy of the report with the food business operator and issued a notice to Bharat Hotels Ltd. The hotel operator was allowed to appeal the findings within the prescribed period under the law. At the same time, authorities directed an immediate halt to the sale of the identified product. The regulator did not publicly release the full laboratory report or specify the exact parameter that led to the “unsafe” and “substandard” classification.

Nestle Issues Statement

Nestle India spokesperson says, "Nestlé Low Fat Dairy Whitener is safe to consume and complies with all applicable regulatory requirements. Phosphorus is a nutrient that occurs naturally in milk and is therefore present in all milk-based products. FSSAI lab reports reflect total… https://t.co/owBLIAPGCi

— ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2026

Nestle Responds on Phosphorus Levels

Nestlé India stated that its Low Fat Dairy Whitener is safe to consume and meets all applicable regulatory requirements. A company spokesperson said phosphorus occurs naturally in milk and is therefore present in all milk-based products. According to Nestlé, the FSSAI laboratory reports measured total phosphorus against the limit for added phosphorus as an additive, without accounting for the substantial natural contribution from milk-based ingredients.

The company said the product fully complies with prescribed limits for added phosphorus under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, including on an as-consumed basis. Nestlé added that it has been in continuous engagement with the authorities as per the legal process and has shared data on the same and similar milk-based products to illustrate the presence of naturally occurring phosphorus.

Context of Recent Regulatory Scrutiny

The development follows action by FSSAI in September against Nestlé India over certain infant nutrition products. The regulator had initiated legal proceedings related to promotional claims on NAN Excella Pro Stage 1 and Lactogen Pro 1, as well as a finding that a sample of a follow-up formula was substandard with respect to biotin content. Nestlé had maintained at the time that its products were fully compliant with regulations. Dairy whitener is commonly used as a milk substitute in tea, coffee and other beverages. FSSAI’s directive applies to the specific sample identified at The Lalit; broader market availability of the product was not addressed in the regulator’s public statements.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 03, 2026 08:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).