FSSAI Penalizes Gemini Edibles and E-commerce Giants for Misleading Claims

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India issued show-cause notices to Gemini Edibles & Fats India Ltd, Flipkart India Pvt Ltd, and Innovative Retail Concepts Pvt Ltd (BigBasket) on October 16, 2026. The regulator determined that health claims regarding heart health and the reduction of bad cholesterol for Freedom Cooking Rice Bran Oil were not permitted under the Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018.

Beyond the misleading claims, the regulator flagged Gemini Edibles for operating an e-commerce website to sell food products without a valid central license. The FSSAI has directed the involved food business operators to implement immediate corrective measures and provide a detailed action report supported by documentary and photographic evidence.

In separate enforcement actions on the same day, the regulator targeted several other businesses for hygiene and licensing failures. The FSSAI cancelled the license of Jhanvittanni for continued non-compliance and suspended the license of a food manufacturer after discovering unhygienic conditions, including a fly in direct contact with papad. Additionally, the regulator issued an improvement notice to the operator of the Radisson Blu Hotel in New Delhi following the discovery of rusted machinery, pest infestations, and the use of deteriorated produce.