New Delhi: Dabur and Patanjali questioned Wednesday environment watchdog CSE’s claims that honey sold by them are adulterated with sugar syrup. Both Dabur and Patanjali said it seems that the claim is motivated and aimed at maligning their brands. They also insisted that honey sold by them is collected naturally from Indian sources. They also said that the honey is packed with no-added sugar or other adulterants.
The companies also said norms and parameters laid down by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for testing honey are fully adhered to.
“The recent reports seem motivated and aimed at maligning our brand. We assure our consumers that Dabur Honey is 100 per cent pure and indigenous. It is collected naturally from Indian sources and packed with no added sugar or other adulterants,” a Dabur spokesperson said.
Also read: Honey not sweet as it seems, most brands adulterated says CSE
Patanjali Ayurved’s MD Acharya Balkrishna said, ‘it seems to be a plot to defame Indian natural honey industry and manufacturers. This is a bid to promote processed honey’. This is a ‘gameplan to replace lakhs of rural farmers and honey growers including Khadi & Village commission channel’ with processed/ artificial/ value-added honey makers, added Balkrishna. “We make 100 per cent natural honey which tested pure on more than 100 standards laid down by the FSSAI for honey,” asserted Balkrishna
Kolkata-based Emami group owns the Zandu brand honey. It said it adheres to all the protocols laid down by the FSSAI in this regard.
“Emami as a responsible organisation ensures that its ‘Zandu Pure Honey’ conforms and adheres to all the protocols and quality norms/ standards laid down by the Government of India and is authorised entities such as the FSSAI,” an Emami spokesperson said.
Earlier Wednesday, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) claimed honey sold by several major brands in India has been found adulterated with sugar syrup.