The debate over whether popular noodles brand Maggi is safe for consumption threatened to divide the nation on Friday as some states gave its contents a clean chit while other governments quickly moved to ban its sale.
The issue of different state governments reaching different conclusions on the same snacks' ingredients following the lab tests has become a disputation and Nestle immediately flew in its global CEO Paul Bulcke from Switzerland to try and clear the 'misconceptions' among Indian public.
As people remained torn between eating and not eating Maggi, the Centre on Friday banned the popular instant noodle brand. The Union government has asked the company to withdraw the nine variants of Maggi noodles from markets across the country. The health ministry said the brand manufacturer, Nestle, had not adhered to food safety norms.
But West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced in Kolkata that there was nothing objectionable found in Maggi being sold in her state. The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also claimed that it had not found lead contamination in the nine samples of Maggi.
The presence of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), another problem substance, was within prescribed limit, it added.
Partial clean chit
But five states have already announced a temporary ban on Maggi. The partial clean chit was not enough to cap concerns as lead contamination in several samples was established by many laboratories in various parts of the country, forcing the Union health ministry to swing into action.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) claimed that Maggi noodles were found to be "unsafe and hazardous for human consumption".
The food standard authority also stopped further production, processing, import, distribution and sale of the product with immediate effect. The FSSAI even claimed that Nestle's recently launched Maggi Oats Masala noodles were introduced in the market without approval.
"We have received reports from all states and, after assessing these, have come to the conclusion that the nine variants of Maggi should be recalled," Union health minister JP Nadda said, asserting that the multi-national company had faltered on maintaining adequate safety standards.
To face the onslaught, Nestle fielded its global CEO Paul Bulcke who flew in from Switzerland amid the raging controversy following a ban imposed by Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, besides other states.
He assured that the same quality standards and methods were being maintained all over the world as in India. Bulcke also said that the company was sharing its test methodologies with the authorities to find out how the lead content was found to be beyond permissible limits.
Experts say that the methodology of testing the samples is at the centre of the whole debate. They claim that contamination can be the result of a combination of factors. At the bottom lies the fact that the noodle, the accompanying spice powder and the plastic packing need to be tested separately.
Meanwhile, FSSAI claimed that it had conducted separate tests for the noodle block and the tastemaker. The food standard authority also outlined the harmful effects of consuming lead: Even short-term exposure to high levels of lead can cause brain damage and, in the long term, it can cause damage to kidneys, reproductive and immune systems.
The Union government has slammed Nestle for its alleged misconduct. "What is disturbing to note is that the company had already released the product in the market without completing the process of risk assessment… and has been promoting its sales," a senior FSSAI official said.
"Nestle has also not followed the regulations of labeling. Another of its variants, Maggi Masala oats noodles tastemaker, was in the market without prior approval of the government, which is why it too has been ordered to be recalled. I would like to assure the people of our country that no compromise will be made as far as the food safety and security is concerned. All measures will be taken and all levels of security and safety of food will be adhered to," Nadda added.
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