Yoga Guru Ramdev’s instant noodles, Patanjali Atta Noodles has not obtained the necessary approval from the Food Safety and Regulatory Authority of India (FSSAI), officials said.
However, the noodle packets have an FSSAI licence number. Baba Ramdev, denying reports, has stressed that all the units of the noodle brand are licensed.
He also added that all the products of Patanjali Ayurved have been approved by the FSSAI.
How can a licence be given for a product that has not been approved? Licences are issued by the state government to manufacture certain items, but approvals for (non-standardised) products are given by us. That approval was not taken. I do not know how the licence was procured.Ashish Bahuguna, FSSAI Chairperson to The Indian Express
But a day after FSSAI’s allegation against Patanjali, Ramdev’s spokesman SK Tijarawala said:
We have followed all FSSAI rules and guidelines and committed no violation
The FSSAI has issued a licence number to Patanjali Ayurved Ltd and Patanjali Food and Herbal Park, allowing them to manufacture a range of products, but not noodles.
They have been given approval to manufacture fruit juices/ready to serve fruit beverages, ghee, mustard/coconut oil, salt, asafoetida, biscuit, sattu, oats, cornflakes, poha, soan papdi, jaggery powder, namkeen and papad, gur, whole wheat atta, pulses, sweets and pasta products (macaroni, spaghetti, vermicelli).
According to FSSAI, Patanjali noodles do not come under pasta products since it has a masala mix.
The Patanjali Atta Noodles was launched in Delhi on Monday, it was endorsed as a healthy option by Ramdev.
Meanwhile, FSSAI has approached the Supreme Court for an immediate ban on Maggi. They have appealed against the order of the Bombay High Court that had allowed resale of Maggi noodles recently.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)