Reported by Bhadra Gogoi

Dimapur: Four food products have been found substandard in Nagaland after the Food Safety Administration, Dimapur zone, carried out routine surveillance and laboratory testing under the FSSAI Act, 2006.

Dimapur, Niuland, Chümoukedima, Mon, and Peren districts fall under the Food Safety Administration, Dimapur zone.

Legal proceedings against the sellers involved have been initiated.

Designated Officer of the Food Safety Administration, Dimapur zone, Pelerieno Kehie, in a release, said the products, a multi-source edible oil, sterilised paneer, vinegar, and refined soybean oil, were collected from retail outlets across Dimapur, Niuland, Chümoukedima, Mon, and Peren districts and found to have failed mandatory quality benchmarks.

The four products are DATA Mast Health Multi-source Edible Oil (370 gms, Batch No. BMMS-69, manufactured on November 9, 2025, expiry July 8, 2026); JK Diary Top Paneer Sterilised (450 gms, Batch No. 300PA25, manufactured on October 27, 2025, expiry July 26, 2026); William's Vinegar (350 ml, Batch No. 105, manufactured November 2025, best before 24 months); and Shreeji Refined Soybean Oil (375 gms, Batch No. OPG30, manufactured on September 30, 2025, expiry June 29, 2026).

Under the FSSAI Act, 2006, a food item is classified as "substandard" when it fails to meet prescribed standards but is not so unsafe as to render the food harmful.

"It is important for consumers to distinguish between substandard food (low quality) and unsafe food (harmful/toxic). While these items may not cause immediate illness, they represent a violation of consumer trust and regulatory requirements," Kehie stressed.

Any person found manufacturing, storing, selling, or importing substandard food for human consumption is liable to a penalty of up to Rs 5 lakh, he said.

Kehie added that unsafe food, which poses a direct risk to health, carries much stricter penalties, including heavy fines and imprisonment.