Claims of Meeting all Indian Standards Hold Limited Value, Brands Confusing Customers with 'Jugglery' of Language: CSE
Just two days after the report claiming about adulteration in various brands of honey, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) stands by its finding when reacting to leading brands Dabur and Patanjali, which have refuted the CSE report.
CSE said, “Our findings have revealed that 10 out of 13 brands have failed all tests of purity. We stand by our report”. These brands include Dabur, Patanjali, Baidyanath, Zandu, Hitkari and Apis Himalaya among others whose honey are adulterated with sugar syrup.
CSE and Down To Earth together released findings on the nefarious business of adulteration in honey, which is damaging to people’s health. Responding to Dabur’s claim that its brand is maligned and its honey has passed NMR from Germany while also has met Indian standards, Down To Earth’s website mentions that the NMR test report available on Dabur’s website and shared with media in support of the company’s statement is a report of the Bruker equipment/machine for NMR profiling, which is developed and promoted by Bruker. CSE claimed in a statement, “We would like to make the consumer aware that this is not a laboratory report which involves expert interpretation of the information”.
“It could be important to include advanced testing in government systems that can help enforcement agencies to know if the honey sold to consumers is adulterated or not,” it further added in the statement.
While refuting CSE’s claim Dabur released ads aimed at addressing the purity of its honey, Patanjali Ayurved Managing Director, Acharya Balakrishan said that the company makes 100 percent natural honey which has tested pure on more than 100 standards laid down by FSSAI.
CSE said that any claim by these companies of meeting all Indian standards ‘hold limited value’ and was ‘jugglery’ of language.
Talking about Patanjali’s allegation on CSE of promoting German technology, CSE said, “NMR is an advanced test that can detect adulteration with modified sugar syrups, which may otherwise go undetected. The Indian government has mandated it since August 2020 for honey meant to be exported.”
“So, it could be important to include such advanced testing in government testing system that can help the enforcement agencies to know if the honey sold to consumers is adulterated or not. It can also help the agencies know which companies are selling adulterated honey, which is a crime, and take required punitive action against the defaulters”.
CSE said, “Our findings have revealed that 10 out of 13 brands have failed all tests of purity. We stand by our report”. These brands include Dabur, Patanjali, Baidyanath, Zandu, Hitkari and Apis Himalaya among others whose honey are adulterated with sugar syrup.
CSE and Down To Earth together released findings on the nefarious business of adulteration in honey, which is damaging to people’s health. Responding to Dabur’s claim that its brand is maligned and its honey has passed NMR from Germany while also has met Indian standards, Down To Earth’s website mentions that the NMR test report available on Dabur’s website and shared with media in support of the company’s statement is a report of the Bruker equipment/machine for NMR profiling, which is developed and promoted by Bruker. CSE claimed in a statement, “We would like to make the consumer aware that this is not a laboratory report which involves expert interpretation of the information”.
“It could be important to include advanced testing in government systems that can help enforcement agencies to know if the honey sold to consumers is adulterated or not,” it further added in the statement.
While refuting CSE’s claim Dabur released ads aimed at addressing the purity of its honey, Patanjali Ayurved Managing Director, Acharya Balakrishan said that the company makes 100 percent natural honey which has tested pure on more than 100 standards laid down by FSSAI.
CSE said that any claim by these companies of meeting all Indian standards ‘hold limited value’ and was ‘jugglery’ of language.
Talking about Patanjali’s allegation on CSE of promoting German technology, CSE said, “NMR is an advanced test that can detect adulteration with modified sugar syrups, which may otherwise go undetected. The Indian government has mandated it since August 2020 for honey meant to be exported.”
“So, it could be important to include such advanced testing in government testing system that can help the enforcement agencies to know if the honey sold to consumers is adulterated or not. It can also help the agencies know which companies are selling adulterated honey, which is a crime, and take required punitive action against the defaulters”.
