HYDERABAD: At a time when the Swiss major Nestle India Private Limited is making a comeback into the `two-minute noodles' segment with the relaunch of Maggi, it has now surfaced that the popular `snack' was given a clean chit by city-based Vimta Labs Ltd in October.
The city lab, accredited by both NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI), tested five samples. They found that the lead content in Maggi's noodles and tastemaker was below 0.05 parts per million (ppm) as against 2.5 ppm, the maximum permissible limit fixed by FSSAI.
While confirming that they had undertaken the quality analysis for five freshly-manufactured Maggi stocks before it hit the market on Monday , a representative from the business development wing of Vimta Labs Ltd told TOI that they entered the scene following B o m b ay H i g h C o u r t 's August 13 order directing Nestle to conduct fresh tests before re-launching its products.
"The company did not approach us on its own. It acted on the Bombay High court's order to check whether the lead level in the five Maggi Masala noodles samples that were manufactured in October were within permissible limits or not," said a representative from the lab.
In fact, Nestle representatives maintained that similar quality analysis -to detect lead levels -was conducted by two other laboratories - the Mohali-based Punjab Biotechnology Incu bator and CEG Test House & Research Centre Pvt Ltd in Jaipur.
A copy of the summary of test results of Maggi Masala noodles (available with TOI) shows that all the samples that were picked up by the food safety officer, Moga, on October 26, before sending them for testing at the three different labs showed lead content to be less than 0.05 ppm in both the noodles and tastemaker.
Surprisingly, however, the test results made available by Nestle on its website coinciding with the relaunch of Maggi on Monday, did not make any mention of the presence or absence of monosodium glutamate (MSG) used as flavour enhancer.
It may be recalled that not just the Delhi-based FSSAI, even the state food laboratory in Nacharam had accused Nestle of resorting to misbranding after they found MSG in most of its samples in June. This, de spite the "no added MSG" written on the packets.
When contacted, Rum jhum Gupta, senior manager, corporate communications, Nestle India Ltd maintained that "artificia MSG is never added to Mag gi products but is naturally present in some ingredients like hydrolysed groundnut protein, onion powder and wheat flour that are used in preparation of the product" "However, to be techni cally correct without sound ing misleading in the firs place, packets of all new Maggi products do not have the phrase "no added MSG" this time," she added.
The city lab, accredited by both NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI), tested five samples. They found that the lead content in Maggi's noodles and tastemaker was below 0.05 parts per million (ppm) as against 2.5 ppm, the maximum permissible limit fixed by FSSAI.
While confirming that they had undertaken the quality analysis for five freshly-manufactured Maggi stocks before it hit the market on Monday , a representative from the business development wing of Vimta Labs Ltd told TOI that they entered the scene following B o m b ay H i g h C o u r t 's August 13 order directing Nestle to conduct fresh tests before re-launching its products.
"The company did not approach us on its own. It acted on the Bombay High court's order to check whether the lead level in the five Maggi Masala noodles samples that were manufactured in October were within permissible limits or not," said a representative from the lab.
In fact, Nestle representatives maintained that similar quality analysis -to detect lead levels -was conducted by two other laboratories - the Mohali-based Punjab Biotechnology Incu bator and CEG Test House & Research Centre Pvt Ltd in Jaipur.
A copy of the summary of test results of Maggi Masala noodles (available with TOI) shows that all the samples that were picked up by the food safety officer, Moga, on October 26, before sending them for testing at the three different labs showed lead content to be less than 0.05 ppm in both the noodles and tastemaker.
Surprisingly, however, the test results made available by Nestle on its website coinciding with the relaunch of Maggi on Monday, did not make any mention of the presence or absence of monosodium glutamate (MSG) used as flavour enhancer.
It may be recalled that not just the Delhi-based FSSAI, even the state food laboratory in Nacharam had accused Nestle of resorting to misbranding after they found MSG in most of its samples in June. This, de spite the "no added MSG" written on the packets.
When contacted, Rum jhum Gupta, senior manager, corporate communications, Nestle India Ltd maintained that "artificia MSG is never added to Mag gi products but is naturally present in some ingredients like hydrolysed groundnut protein, onion powder and wheat flour that are used in preparation of the product" "However, to be techni cally correct without sound ing misleading in the firs place, packets of all new Maggi products do not have the phrase "no added MSG" this time," she added.
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