Almost 40% of Ayurveda products, including Baba Ramdev's Patanjali articles, were found inferior by Haridwar's Ayurveda and Unani's Office, a revealed Right to Information (RTI) response.Out of the 82 samples collected between 2013 and 2016, 32 failed the quality test.
According to the Uttarakhand state government lab report, the pH value, which measures the alkalinity of the water-soluble substances, turned out to be less than the limit prescribed in amla juice. Products with a pH value of less than seven could lead to heartburn and other medical complications.
Patanjali’s Divya Amla Juice and Shivlingi Beej were among the products that failed to meet the quality standards. Besides Patanjali products, 18 samples of Ayurveda drugs such as Avipattikara Churna, Talisadya Churna, Pushyanuga Churna, Lavan Bhaskar Churna, Yograj Guggulu, Laksha Guggulu were also found substandard. Last month, the Armed Forces' Department of Canteen Stores (CSD) had suspended the sale of a batch of Patanjali's amla juice after it "failed" a quality test conducted at the Public Health Laboratory of West Bengal.
The RTI reply also revealed that 31.68% of foreign matter was found in the Shivlingi Beej.
Ramdev’s associate and Patanjali’s managing director, Acharya Balkrishna, denied the lab report. “Shivlingi Beej is a natural seed. How can we adulterate it?”, he said and claimed that the report was an attempt to malign Patanjali’s image.
One of the manufacturers, Minor Forest Produce Processing And Research Centre (MFP-PARC), said the drugs were supplied only after Uttrakhand Ayush wing’s approval.
Ayush minister Harak Singh Rawat said the department was in the process of carrying out more regular tests to ensure product quality
