Excess ash content found in ‘sub-standard’ Patanjali Atta noodles, and here's why it’s bad
Excess ash content found in ‘sub-standard’ Patanjali Atta noodles, and here's why it’s bad

Excess ash content found in ‘sub-standard’ Patanjali Atta noodles, and here's why it’s bad

The prescribed limit for ash content according is 1%.

After Swiss consumer giant Nestle landed in trouble last year after its popular instant noodle Maggi was banned in India for containing excessive quantities of lead, an desi brand could perhaps be staring at a similar problem now.  

Tests carried out by a team of Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) in Meerut has found a Patanjali Atta Noodles sample "sub-standard", The Times of India reported. 

The team also found ash content in the noodle's tastemaker more than the prescribed limits by nearly three times, higher than Maggi samples.

The tests were conducted on three brands of instant noodles- Maggi, Patanjali and Yippee. The samples were collected from Meerut onFebruary 5 and the results came out on Saturday. The ash content was found to be higher than permissible limits in all three samples, all of which failed the test, adds the report. 

The prescribed limit for ash content according is 1%.

Ash in food products

According to Livestrong.com, "Ash refers to any inorganic material, such as minerals, present in food. It's called ash because it's residue that remains after heating removes water and organic material such as fat and protein". Ash can include essential minerals like calcium, sodium and potassium and also toxic elements like mercury. 

Ash content represents the total mineral content in foods. While natural foods have less than 5% ash content, processed food on the other hand can have over 10% of ash content. Flour is one common ingredient that is associated with ash.

Analysing ash content

"The analysis of ash content in foods is simply the burning away of organic content, leaving inorganic minerals. This helps determine the amount and type of minerals in food; important because the amount of minerals can determine physiochemical properties of foods, as well as retard the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, mineral content is a vital component in a food’s nutrition, quality and, like water, microbial viability," states Dairy.com.

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