Food Safety Officers are lifting samples of Maggie Noodles across Tamil Nadu and have begun testing them to ascertain the contents.
They were directed to file reports of the seizure to a Central government agency by June 1.
Tamil Nadu Food Safety Commissioner Kumar Jayant issued the order a few days ago following a controversy in Uttar Pradesh.
In his circular to officers in all districts, he pointed out that Maggi had come under the scanner with the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration filing a case after its samples were found to contain Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG) and lead in levels excess of the limits permitted under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA).
“... It is requested that enforcement/sampling of Maggi Noodles may be undertaken and sent to testing for all parameters to notified laboratories. Reports may be forwarded to the FSSAI [Food Safety and Standards Authority of India] latest by June 1,” the circular read.
Tamil Nadu has six food analysis laboratories that are notified under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. They are in Coimbatore, Chennai, Salem, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli and Madurai.
A Food Safety Officer here told The Hindu on Monday that four samples had been lifted from general stores in Coimbatore district. The samples taken include ‘instant noodles.’ The Coimbatore laboratory is expected to provide the results in 15 days.
However, the official added that no orders have been issued so far to prosecute the manufacturer as yet. Implementation of several provisions of the FSSA, 2006 has either been stayed by the courts or the deadline has been extended for food business operators to comply with them.
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