Delhi: Patanjali Ayurved has come under fresh scrutiny after its distributor, and the retailer selling the product. The action stems from a 2020 sample collected during routine surveillance, which was later found to be substandard and potentially harmful for consumption.
According to officials of the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) of Uttarakhand, the sample of Patanjali’s cow ghee was taken from Karan General Store in the Kasni area of Pithoragarh. Assistant Commissioner R.K. Sharma stated that the ghee was first tested at the Rudrapur state laboratory, where it failed the food safety parameters. The report indicated that the ghee did not meet the required standards and could pose health risks if consumed, raising concerns over quality control in products sold under the Patanjali brand.
Following the failed test, a notice was issued to Patanjali in 2021. However, the company did not respond initially. Later, Patanjali officials requested a re-test and asked that it be conducted at a central laboratory. A fee of ₹5,000 was collected from the company to facilitate the second round of testing.
Subsequently, on 16 October 2021, a team of FSDA officers visited the National Food Lab in Ghaziabad and submitted the sample for fresh analysis. The lab’s report, issued on 26 November 2021, once again declared the ghee unsafe and non-compliant with food safety standards. The findings were reviewed extensively, following which the matter was taken to court on 17 February 2022.
The case was adjudicated by Yogendra Singh, Additional District Magistrate and Adjudicating Officer of Pithoragarh. In the verdict delivered on Thursday, the court imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., ₹25,000 on distributor Brahma Agency, and ₹15,000 on Karan General Store, the retailer from which the sample was collected. Food Safety Officer Dilip Jain presented all relevant evidence during the proceedings.
