Amul passes quality test, packing charges remain

The Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA), Gujarat, which had seized around 26,500 kg of butter from the plant of Amul dairy in Anand on Tuesday, has cleared the products.

Similarly, its two powder products have also cleared the quality test conducted at Vadodara laboratory.

However, Amul is still facing the charges for defective packaging from the district level authorities. "We have found that the samples collected from Amul of three products including butter and milk powder have been found satisfactorily. However, we are still studying the report. After our studies of the product and packaging, the matter will be in the jurisdiction of concern district authority to take further actions," said S P Adeshara, commissioner, FDCA.

It may be noted that during the inquiry of FDCA, following a tip off from their Maharashtra counterpart, packaging material with the printed manufacturing date of March 2005, was recovered from the assembly line.

The FDCA officials have sent the samples of butter, milk powder and baby food to the Vadodara-based laboratory for quality testing.

"We are completing the task that falls under our area. After all it is the area of the district authorities to charge Amul if it is guilty of defective packaging," said Adeshara.

Instances of the Gujarat FDCA carrying out checks and inspections of production facilities of Amul have caused a dent in the credibility of Amul, one of India's most trusted brands and one that has also made a name for itself across the world.

Although the FDCA has found that there was no problem with the quality of the products, a stock of butter was seized because it bore a production date of March 2005, while the butter was packed in January 2005.