Both brands had responded to CSE’s investigation where they failed the NMR test (verifies the purity of honey) performed in a German laboratory.
The Center for Science and Environment (CSE) has responded to statements by Dabur and Patanjali about CSE’s research on the adulteration of honey and its honey samples that failed the NMR test conducted by a German laboratory.
On December 2, 2020, the CSE revealed that it had chosen honey samples from 13 brands to undergo NMR testing in a German laboratory to verify their purity. Only three brands passed the test and one of them was the great brand Saffola Honey. The rest, including giants like Dabur Honey and Patanjali Honey, failed the test.
Meanwhile, on December 3, 2020, Dabur said in a statement that it had passed all 22 tests required by the FSSAI, including the SMR, as well as voluntarily conducting MRI tests periodically to ensure that its consumers get 100% pure sugar-free honey added syrups or other adulterants.
The CSE in response to Dabur’s claim about defaming his brand and that his honey is NMR approved from Germany and meets Indian standards, said:
The MRI test report available on Dabur’s website and shared with the media in support of the company’s statement is a report from the Bruker MRI profiling equipment / machine. Bruker is a company that developed NMR and promotes it. We would like the consumer to be aware that this is not a laboratory report, which implies an expert interpretation of the information by the team.
In the case of NMR, it is essential that the final conclusion about the adulteration of a sample is based on the interpretation and confirmation of an expert NMR laboratory. Even the report shared by Dabur mentions that expert interpretation is necessary before drawing any conclusions.
CSE has shared the findings based on laboratory reports from Germany, which involve expert interpretation and confirmation of the data obtained by the machine / equipment. This is a universally accepted practice.
Dabur has shared the single sample report. Furthermore, the batch number of the analyzed sample is not mentioned. Therefore, it is not clear which batch is being talked about.
On the other hand, we have provided three lot numbers of three analyzed samples from Dabur; that is, BM3463, with manufacturing date May 25, 2020; BM3589, manufactured July 10, 2020; and BM3636, manufactured on August 5, 2020. All three batches were found to be adulterated. In the absence of this information on laboratory testing by lot number, Dabur’s purity claim is not sustainable.
We have also noticed that Dabur constantly changes the language of his claims regarding MRI tests. In previous announcements, it has been said “Pure Honey NMR Tested”; As of today, after the release of the CSE investigation, Dabur claims that he has undergone origin NMR testing. “Is this juggling another attempt to mislead the consumer?” asks the general director of the CSE, Sunita Narain.
In response to Patanjali, who in the media had accused the CSE of promoting German technology:
MRI (nuclear magnetic resonance imaging) is an advanced test that can detect adulteration with modified sugar syrups, which might otherwise go unnoticed. It is being used in different parts of the world for the same reason and even the Indian government has ordered it since August 2020 for honey destined for export.
Therefore, it might be important to include such advanced tests in the government’s testing system that they can help enforcement agencies know whether or not the honey sold to consumers is adulterated. It can also help agencies find out which companies are selling adulterated honey, which is a crime, and take the necessary punitive measures against defaulters.
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