Patanjali, contract manufacturers have FSSAI approval, says Baba Ramdev

“Our representatives are going to the FSSAI headquarters with original copies of the selling licence, along with the manufacturer’s licence”.

Baba Ramdev-promoted Patanjali on Wednesday said it has followed all the guidelines and regulations of the Food Safety and Regulatory Authority of India (FSSAI) in the launch of its “atta” instant noodles and other products. The company also cited a circular issued by the FSSAI earlier this year saying that it could not continue insisting on product approvals for certain categories of products.

However, Badal, who had earlier slammed the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for creating an “environment of fear”, said the Health Ministry and the regulator are working on regulations and hoped they ensure removal of “roadblocks and speed breakers”.

Though the FSSAI chairperson Ashish Bahuguna did not reply to dna’s queries over phone or email, it was learnt that the body had caught upon the smallest of details in their rules to crack down on Patanjali; the category for pasta includes noodles but not instant noodles.

Summary: Ramdev had launched the Patanjali instant atta noodles on November 16 in Delhi. Harsimrat Kaur Badal (above right).

Ramdev had stated that when the FSSAI itself has stopped product approval, there is no question of an illegal act having been committed.

According to FSSAI’s May 2013 advisory, food products covering a broad spectrum, including novel foods, functional foods, supplements, irradiated, genetically modified foods, foods for special dietary uses or extracts or concentrates of botanicals, herbs or of animal sources, should apply for product approval.

FSSAI, meanwhile, approached the Supreme Court for an immediate ban on the sale of Maggi, in an appeal against an order of the Mumbai High Court that had given an all-clear to the flagship product of the Swiss FMCG giant Nestle.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a PHD Chamber event, Badal said, “FSSAI doesn’t come under my Ministry”.

However, she added: “I am sure that the (health) ministry is looking into it to ensure these kinds of roadblocks are not there”.