Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a showcause notice to the company of Yoga Guru Ramdev Baba, Patanjali Ayurved, demanding an explanation within 15 days on its newly introduced brand of Atta noodles. The company has launched its Atta noodles in Delhi on 18 November and declared its plan to hit one million retail stores by December end.
FSSAI was immediate to announce its plans to stop them from reaching the customers. The chairman of FSSAI Ashish Bahuguna commented that the company has not taken approval for the product and written a letter to the enforcement director of FSSAI to look into the matter.
Patanjali Ayurved has refuted the FSSAI claim and stated that they have a FSSAI license to produce pasta products, under which noodles are listed. But senior food authority officials claim that the Patanjali Atta Noodles does not fit under pasta and differentiates it from Instant noodles, which come under pasta.
The company is planning to set up five new manufacturing units in Delhi, NCR, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh in next one year. Patanjali Ayurved also claims its noodles are the cheapest compared to its rivals and is planning to air TV commercials soon.
The action from FSSAI is questioned in the industry circles since the Supreme Court has confirmed the Bombay High Court’s decision quashing Product approval advisory. FSSAI officials also said that they will take an action only after the product comes to the market.
Another instant noodles manufacturing company, Aakash Yog based in Haridwar has also received a notice from FSSAI for the sale of noodles without license.