Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Packaged whole wheat flour from Aashirvaad contains plastic, as evidenced by kitchen experiments showing the dough gaining an elastic and sticky consistency.
Fact
Newschecker learnt that the allegations have been around since 2018, following which the company that manufactures ‘Aashirvaad Atta’, ITC, categorically stated the claim is false, clarifying that Gluten, a naturally occurring protein in wheat, is what gives wheat flour its elasticity.
The FSSAI in the myth busters section on its website stated, “Wheat flour naturally contains 2 proteins – Glutenin – for elasticity & Gliadin- for raising of dough. In the presence of water, these 2 proteins bond together to create an elastic network of protein called gluten strings. Gluten is the rubbery mass that is left when wheat flour dough is washed with water & this is maliciously referred to as plastic.”
JP Tandon, former director of wheat research, Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, had in a Youtube video, uploaded by Aashirvaad, confirmed that the rubbery mass is gluten and the allegations that the flour contains plastic are completely false. “If gluten is not formed in the atta made from wheat grains, then it means the grains are of bad quality,” Tandon said.
According to The New Indian Express report, dated February 9, 2018, an NABL accredited laboratory in Mumbai, on testing Aashirvaad Atta as well as other popular atta brands, confirmed the presence of gluten in the samples of all these atta in the range of 7 to 12 percent of atta. The report of the laboratory also said that when atta dough is washed with water, starch and fibre gets removed and a residue is obtained, which is gluten and not plastic.
Also Read: Is Your Packaged Atta A Health Hazard? Little Substance To Fitness Influencer’s Claim, Say Experts
Result: False
Sources
FSSAI myth busters
Youtube video, Aashirvaad, March 10, 2018
ITC portal
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Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
