After hair cleanser & oil, toothpaste and herbal washing powder, Baba Ramdev’s The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked the Central Licensing Authority to send a show cause notice to Patanjali over their edible oil advertisements, which are alleged to be misleading.
The Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), a body of edible oil producers, has registered a complaint against Patanjali, saying its advertisement for Kacchi Ghani Oil is misleading and derogatory.
Patanjali claimed that the company uses the 'Kacchi Ghani' process to make the oil while the edible refined oil and mustard oil of most other brands are made using the neurotoxin hexagon solvent extraction method.
"It is obligatory to refine all solvent extracted oils to make it fit for human consumption. So, it is very clear that hexane is not a harmful solvent and even during the refining process, traces, if any, gets removed completely from the oil and, hence, oil obtained from the refining process is completely safe for use," said BV Mehta, executive director, SEA.
Mehta also said there is no evidence that exposure to hexane increases the risk of cancer in people.
When contacted, Acharya Bal-krishna, MD, Patanjali Ayurved, told ET, "If a show cause notice comes to us, we will respond to it. The fact that hexagon solvent is a petroleum by-product which is carcinogenic in nature is a well-known fact. We have merely pointed it out in the interest of our consumers. If you go on the internet you will find many reports that scientifically proves it."
(Image: Indiatimes)