Patanjali products have failed tests earlier, too

NEW YORK (TIP): The Economic Times has reported that the Indian Ministry of Defense’s canteen stores department (CSD) has suspended the sale of Patanjali Ayurved’s Amla juice after receiving an adverse state-laboratory test report on the product.

India Today quoting The Economic Times said that the move came after the product was tested at the central food lab that found it to be ‘unfit for consumption’. Soon after the report was declared, the CSD asked all its depots to make debit notes for their existing stock so that the product can be returned. The Department has 34 depots located across India.

“The batch was tested at the Central Food Lab in Kolkata and was declared unfit for consumption. Patanjali has withdrawn Amla juice from all army canteens,” according to two officials. However, the detailed findings of the report are yet to be known.

Incidentally, this is the same lab that found almost two years ago lead levels above permissible limits, and the presence of MSG in the samples of Nestle Maggi noodles.

The latest development could hurt the Patanjali’s image as its Amla juice was the product that helped it strengthen its foothold in the Indian consumer market. However, Patanjali Ayurved has not reacted yet to the news.

This is the second time when Patanjali is facing such adverse situation. Last year in December, a local court in Haridwar slapped Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved’s five production units with a fine of Rs 11 lakh for “misbranding and putting up misleading advertisements” of their products.

Patanjali Ayurved was found guilty of misbranding as the products being shown by the company as produced at its own units were in fact manufactured somewhere else.

A case had been filed in the court against the company in 2012 by the District Food Safety Department after samples of mustard oil, salt, pineapple jam, besan and honey produced by Patanjali had failed quality tests at Rudrapur laboratory.

But strangely enough these products are being sold in markets abroad, in Canada, USA and UK where Patanjali is touted as promoter of Indian Ayurved and is backed by the image of Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev. These products are available over the counter at grocery stores, besides pharmacies.

It remains to be seen whether countries like USA will take notice of Patanjali products failing laboratory tests in India and being rejected by customers like the government of India Defense Department which is a huge customer given the size of the armed forces, and subject Patanjali products to lab tests to ensure these are fit for human consumption.

FDA need to change its policy and bring Ayurved products under the list of products which need FDA approval, to ensure the products are not harmful. There should be no compromise on the health of US residents.