Kochi: A Thrissur-based manufacturer of edible oil has alleged a conspiracy to tarnish its image and harm its business prospects as it faces black-listing by the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco).

Royale Edible Company, which was issued a show-cause notice by the Supplyco after a laboratory test allegedly found mineral oil and insoluble impurities in the coconut oil it produced, has refuted all allegations of food adulteration and sought an investigation into the test which put its credibility at stake.

The company has challenged the findings of the test as two other laboratory examinations, which the Supplyco conducted following a court intervention, have contradicted them. The company officials said media reports that harmful substances were detected in the coconut oil distributed through the state-owned Supplyco were baseless. The allegations were part of a conspiracy to defame the brand, the company and also Supplyco, Royale Edible officials said at a press meet here on Thursday.

Royale Edible is one of the five companies that supplies the Sabari brand of coconut distributed by Supplyco. Trouble started for the company as the Supplyco issued a show-cause notice to it on November 26, 2022 based on the findings of the Food Quality Monitoring Laboratory Council for Food Research and Development under the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs. The lab report stated that presence of mineral oil and insoluble impurities were detected in the oil supplied by the company to Munnar Depot of the Civil Supplies Corporation. Certain print and visual media had reported about the lab report on November 29 and 30.

Though the company demanded a re-test of the samples, there was no action from the government agency, the company officials said. They then moved the Kerala High Court seeking the opportunity to conduct a re-test of the samples from the same batch of the product alleged to be of poor quality. The company moved the high court seeking permission to conduct retest of the samples citing that the laboratory at Konni where the tests were conducted did not have the permission from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to conduct the particular tests. Based on a favourable court order, the company conducted re-tests of the samples at two competent laboratories and the tests have found that the edible oil has maintained required standard of quality, the company officials said.

The company has requested the Supplyco to do away with the action against it and initiate an inquiry into what happened during the tests at the Konni lab. They said they have been intimated that the complaint has been forwarded to the Supplyco’s internal vigilance wing.

"Our company has been producing coconut oil for the last 20 years. It was being distributed through Supplyco for several years. Following the recent media reports against our product, we tested the quality of the samples of the batch in question and other batches at private laboratories with NABL accreditation as well as the Regional Analytical Laboratory in Kochi under the State Food Safety Department. The tests ensured the quality of our product. Based on this, we approached the high court and based on the court order, the samples in question were sent for re-tests at Neogen laboratory, Kochi and also at the Regional Analytical Laboratory. These tests have also reasserted the quality of our product as good and healthy oil. From the allegations, we understand that some vested interests were trying to defame us, the Sabari brand and Supplyco," the company officials said.

They said the service of a chemist qualified by Agmark is available at the company's Grade 1 lab. The company ensures the quality of its product by testing samples of each batch at NABL-accredited labs before it is sent for distribution.

Royale Edible Company's general manager Thankachan Joseph, QC manager Dhanesh N S, exports manager Benny Raphel and accounts manager Sumesh E C attended the media conference.