Patanjali Red Chilli Powder Declared Unsafe; Govt Orders Nationwide Recall
Pesticide levels exceed safe limits, recall ordered immediately.
In a major embarrassment for Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali empire, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav informed the Lok Sabha on Friday that a sample of red chilli powder manufactured at Patanjali Foods’ Uttarakhand unit has been officially declared unsafe due to excessive pesticide residue far beyond permissible Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs).
The disclosure came during the 2024-25 nationwide spice sampling drive when food safety officials drew samples directly from the company’s production facility. Laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of harmful pesticide traces at levels deemed dangerous for human consumption, prompting immediate regulatory intervention by the concerned state food safety authority.
Following the adverse report, authorities issued a formal recall notice, compelling Patanjali Foods to withdraw the entire affected batch from retail shelves across the country. The company has initiated the withdrawal process, though the exact quantity of contaminated stock that had already reached consumers remains under assessment.
Also Read: Patanjali Fined ₹1 Lakh After Cow Ghee Fails Quality Tests in Uttarakhand
Responding to pointed questions from Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on the government’s measures to prevent substandard food from reaching households, the Minister emphasised that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) conducts year-round surveillance, special enforcement drives, and random sampling under the National Annual Surveillance Plan. Any food business operator found violating standards faces stringent penalties, including product seizures, fines, and prosecution under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Notably, the Minister clarified that no samples from Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation’s Amul brand were found unsafe during the same period, implicitly highlighting the contrasting compliance records. The development has reignited public scrutiny over quality control practices at several high-profile domestic brands, with opposition members demanding stricter monitoring of companies that aggressively market traditional and Ayurvedic products as “pure and natural.”
Also Read: Patanjali Fined ₹1 Lakh After Cow Ghee Fails Quality Tests in Uttarakhand
