First a recall, then denial from some Indian food officials.
AB Wire
NEW DELHI: After reports emerged that Indian food inspectors have ordered Nestle India to recall a batch of Maggi noodles from grocery outlets across the country on the basis of the product containing dangerous levels of lead, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has denied ordering any such recall.
According to Reuters, The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) in Uttar Pradesh said high lead content was found during routine tests on two dozen packets of instant noodles that were manufactured by Maggi’s parent company, Nestle, in India. The FSSAI has indicated it is waiting to examine the findings from Uttar Pradesh before implementing a large-scale recall.
“We have not yet ordered any recall. We are waiting to see the report from UP and may order countrywide sampling after that,” a senior official in the FSSAI told The Times of India.
Scientists also discovered high levels of added monosodium glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer that is frowned upon in many nations and even banned in certain U.S. states.
“Maggi instant noodles contained dangerous amount of lead and MSG. We had to immediately issue orders against the company,” D.G. Srivastava, deputy inspector general of the FDA in Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh, told Reuters.
Nestle released a statement to NDTV that included several denials of the allegations:
We have strict food safety and quality controls in place for all raw materials used to make MAGGI Noodles … We do not add MSG to MAGGI Noodles and our label declarations are as per local regulation … We are also aware of the reports of elevated levels of lead in a pack of MAGGI Noodles analyzed by the authorities. We regularly monitor for lead as part of our stringent quality control processes, including testing by accredited laboratories. These tests have consistently shown lead levels in MAGGI Noodles to be within permissible limits. We have explained this to authorities while they investigate the matter further.
Export data gleaned from Sauba Technologies and Data Services indicate Maggi noodles are exported across the globe from its Indian hub, possibly indicating a threat of lead poisoning on a much wider scale. The United States, United Arab Emirates, France, and the U.K. all rank among the top recipients of Maggi noodle exports.
3 Comments
It’s kind of weird the way the whole Maggie thing got hyped while there are lakhs of other products which are much more dangerous that includes food items, cosmetics, baby food, even fruits and veggies.
Indian Food Authorities first Ban the product & Then take severe action against the Company for doing this & also govt should recommend authorities to check the Baby foods manufactured by them to avoid future problems to the people of India. They think that Indians are fools & whatever they manufactured will be consumed by all especially kids. First of all. FSSAI to check the wafer chocolate Munch.
In India it is not government runned by people..
It is the government runned by those nasty MNCs…. Whose main aim is profit