Bangalore, India (June 25, 2015) In compliance with a request from the law enforcement agencies, Sami Labs permitted police verification and impounding of samples of questionable and controversial Curcumin batches Sami had obtained from Bayir Extracts Private Limited, Bangalore. Under the FIR (first information report) filed by the police in this ongoing investigational matter, appropriate steps, by both the police and Sami Labs, have been taken to ensure custody of the material remains protected and sealed.
Earlier this month, Sami Labs filed criminal complaint against Bayir Extracts for allegedly supplying adulterated Turmeric Oleoresin with a forged Certificate of Analysis. This impounding of evidence is part of the resulting investigation.
The samples turned over to the police included the controversial Curcumin batches Sami purchased from Bayir. It may be noted that these were the same samples reported as being contaminated with fossil fuels, causing the product to be partially synthetic and not natural as it was claimed in their Certificate of Analysis.
Results of radiocarbon testing by University of Georgia Center for Applied Isotope Studies determined that commercially available samples of Curcumin sold by Bayir Extracts was 43% synthetic. Further analysis of three additional batches of Bayir’s Curcumin material have been released by the University of Georgia’s Center for Applied Isotope Studies, and they are the following:
Batch: BE/CUR/14015 32% synthetic
Batch: BE/CUR/P/14016 43% synthetic
Batch: BE/CUR/14017 Totally natural
Batch: BE/CUR/14018 45% synthetic
“It’s interesting to note one of the four batches was natural curcumin, but the truth is that three batches are synthetic,” said Sabinsa founder Dr. Muhammed Majeed. “Additionally, when we alerted the industry to the legal action against Bayir initiated in India, their response was to file a gag order against us. However, we are not stating anything that is derogatory, false, defamatory or untrue, and will be proven in a court of law.”
