New Delhi/ Nagpur: To surprise noddle-lovers, soon after the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said that Patanjali Atta Noodles were not approved by the agency, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev clarified that all legal procedures were adhered to during the noodles’ manufacture. Refuting all allegations that the noodles have not been approved by the FSSAI agency, Ramdev said that there must have been a miscommunication between the two parties, quoted media reports.
“I think there has been some sort of a miscommunication between the authorities and the company. Patanjali Atta noodles have the necessary approval for manufacturing. No illegality has been committed by Patanjali Ayurveda,” Baba Ramdev said.
The yoga guru’s statements came after the FSSAI chairman Ashish Bahuguna said that instant noodles were not standardised products. Patanjali Atta noodles is priced at Rs 15 and reportedly bears an FSSAI licence number.
The chairman said that Patanjali Ayurveda could not bring it in the market without approval.
“They have got no permission from authorities to sell noodles,” Ashish had said.
On the contrary, Ramdev said that the company had the licence and the necessary documents to prove that all legals steps were strictly adhered to. “We have all the documents with us. We shall send all the documents to the authorities. We have sought permission from the FSSAI,” Ramdev said.
Ramdev has endorsed the noodles as an healthy option, compared to other brands available in the market.
Earlier, Ramdev’s spokesperson AK Tijarawala said, “According to the rules notified by FSSAI itself in August this year, there is no legal binding to take separate licence for launching noodles.”
Patanjali Atta Noodles was launched a week after Nestle’s Maggi made a comeback to retail shelves after a 5-month ban was imposed on it by the food-safety regulator. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in June 2015 tested Maggi samples collected from different states in the wake of the Uttar Pradesh FSDA finding mono-sodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in the instant noodles. The government had said Maggi brand ambassadors will also be liable for action if advertisements are found to be misleading.
