Jun 4, 2015
தமிழகத்தில் மேகி உள்பட 4 நூடுல்ஸ்களுக்கு தடை: அரசு உத்தரவு!
சென்னை: தமிழகத்தில் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் உள்பட 4 நூடுல்ஸ்களுக்கு தடை விதித்து தமிழக அரசு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.
இதுகுறித்து தமிழக அரசு விடுத்துள்ள செய்திக் குறிப்பில், ''பன்னாட்டு நிறுவனமான, ‘நெஸ்லே’ (NESTLE), இயதியாவில் பல வகை உணவுப் பொருட்களை தயாரித்து விற்பனை செய்து வருகிறது.
‘நெஸ்லே’ நிறுவனத் தயாரிப்பான ‘மேகி நூடுல்ஸ்’-ல் (MAGGI NOODLES) 'காரீயம்'-ன் (LEAD) அளவு உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணயச் சட்டம் மற்றும் நெறிமுறைகளில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ள அளவை விட அதிகமாக உள்ளதாக ஒரு சில மாநிலங்களில் கண்டறியப்பட்டுள்ளதாக வந்த செய்தியை அடுத்து, முதலமைச்சர் ஜெயலலிதா உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாகத் துறை மூலம் தமிழகத்தில் விற்கப்படும் நூடுல்ஸ் உணவுப் பொருட்களின் மாதிரியை எடுத்து சோதனை செய்து அவை உணவு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணயச் சட்டத்தில் வரையறுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள நெறிமுறைகளுக்கேற்ப உள்ளதா என கண்டறியுமாறு உத்தரவிட்டார்கள்.
இதனையடுத்து உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் மருந்து நிர்வாக ஆணையரகம் ‘மேகி நூடுல்ஸ்’ மற்றும் அதைப் போன்ற இதர ‘நூடுல்ஸ்’ உணவுப் பொருட்களை பரிசோதனை செய்ய நடவடிக்கை எடுத்தது. தமிழ்நாடு முழுவதும் 65 உணவு மாதிரிகள் பரிசோதனைக்காக எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. சென்னையில் எடுக்கப்பட்ட 17 உணவு மாதிரிகளில் 7 மாதிரிகளில் பரிசோதனைக்குப் பின் ஆய்வக முடிவுகள் பெறப்பட்டுள்ளன. இந்த 7 மாதிரிகளில் 6 மாதிரிகளில் காரீயம்-ன் (LEAD) அளவு உணவுப் பாதுகாப்புச் சட்டத்தில் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள 10 லட்சத்திற்கு 2.5 அதாவது 2.5 Parts Per Million (PPM) என்ற அளவை விட அதிகமாக இருப்பது தெரிய வந்துள்ளது.
‘நெஸ்லே’ நிறுவனத்தின் ‘மேகி நூடுல்ஸ்’, 'வே வே எக்ஸ்பிரஸ் நூடுல்ஸ்' ('Wai Wai Xpress Noodles'), 'ரிலையன்ஸ் செலக்ட் இன்ஸ்டன்ட் நூடுல்ஸ்' ('Reliance Select Instant Noodles'), 'ஸ்மித் அண்ட் ஜோன்ஸ் சிக்கன் மசாலா நூடுல்ஸ்' ('Smith and Jones Chicken Masala Noodles') ஆகியவற்றில் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்ட அளவை விட காரீயம்-ன் அளவு அதிகமாக இருப்பது கண்டறியப்பட்டது. இதனை அறிந்த முதலமைச்சர் ஜெயலலிதா சட்டப்படியான நடவடிக்கைகளை எடுக்கும்படி அதிகாரிகளுக்கு உத்தரவிட்டார்.
அதன்படி மேற்சொன்ன ‘நூடுல்ஸ்’ உற்பத்தி நிறுவனங்களின் மீது உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணயச் சட்டம், 2006, பிரிவு 30(2)(a)-ன் கீழ் இந்நிறுவனங்கள் நூடுல்ஸ் உணவுப் பொருட்களை தமிழ்நாட்டில் தயாரிப்பதற்கும், சேமித்து வைக்கவும், விற்பனை செய்யவும் முதற்கட்டமாக மூன்று மாதங்களுக்கு நிறுத்தி வைத்து, உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு ஆணையர் ஆணையிட்டுள்ளார். மேலும், இவ்வகை உணவுப் பொருட்களை விற்பனையிலிருந்து உடனடியாக திரும்பப் பெறுவதற்கும் இந்த உற்பத்தி நிறுவனங்களுக்கு உத்தரவிடப்பட்டுள்ளது'' எனக் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.
Maggi noodles in hot water? Manufacturer must recall ‘faulty’ product: FSSAI CEO
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO Yudhvir Singh Malik on Thursday said Nestle, the manufacturer must recall all faulty packets of Maggi after receiving reports of samples from Delhi and Kerala.
“The law states that as soon as it comes to a [manufacturer’s] notice – that there is something wrong with the product, he is supposed to take recourse to recalling and withdrawing it, under intimation to the consumers as well as to the competent authority. It needs enforcement as well as self-compliance. Whether a sample size can be seen as a representative sample size… the law says that if you draw samples from a particular batch, and that sample is found to be failing, then that product is said to be failing unless you have contrary evidence. Noodles has nine variants. If you find the problem to persist in it, then you can confine your ban to that one variant,” Malik told media here.
“If I am a food product manufacturer, I am supposed to have my own quality checks. How rigorously do they maintain it and follow it up is a question that the management will have to look up,” he added, referring to the Maggi case.
Malik further stated that a compilation of the reports received may take some more time.
“We received reports from Delhi and Kerala; we have also received reports from Goa which were found to be inappropriate. The reports from Delhi and Kerala are absolutely authentic. Two other states have sent us reports, they have been requested to send us proper reports again. This might take two or three days more,” he said.
In wake of samples of Maggi being found to contain an excess of lead, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Gujarat have banned the instant noodles.
Gujarat, J&K join Maggi ban wagon
Earlier, Delhi and Uttarakhand have banned the sales of Maggi noodles.
Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir Governments on Thursday have banned the sale of Nestle’s instant noodle brand ‘Maggi’ for a month after the product failed the food safety test.
The Gujarat government has also asked the company to withdraw all its stock of Maggi from the state.
Apart from Maggi, Gujarat also tested one sample each of instant noodles of Sunfeast and S.K. Foods and has banned the latter for a month as high lead content of 4 PPM was found in it.
“Twenty seven samples collected from different parts of the state were tested by Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration. The test has shown that lead was present above the prescribed limit while Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) was also present,” Gujarat Health Minister Nitin Patel said.
Of the 27 samples, lead content in 14 of them was found to be 2.8 PPM to 5 PPM (particle per million), which is above the prescribed limit of 2.5 PPM. Presence of excess lead is harmful for health, he said.
“Monosodium glutamate, which should not be present in the product, was found in all the samples tested. For these reasons, the government has banned the sale and distribution of Maggi noodles for one month in the state. The government has also informed Nestle to withdraw all its Maggi stock from Gujarat,” Patel said.
The minister also appealed to retailers not to sell Maggi and also asked consumers not to consume it.
He said the health department will conduct inspections across the state to enforce the ban and action will be taken against those selling the product in any part of the state.
Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir are the third and fourth states to ban Maggi after Delhi and Uttarakhand. It has also banned noodle products of S K Foods.
“Sample of Sunfeast passed the lead test, but traces of monosodium glutamate were found in it. We will test more samples of Sunfeast before taking any action on its instant noodle,” he said.
Paswan says action sure if samples found unsafe
Earlier, Union Food Minister Ramvilas Paswan said action against the product and people endorsing it will be taken if samples are found unsafe for consumption.
“When I came to know about Maggi issue I directed the department and the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) to look into the facts and initiate action,” Mr. Paswan told reporters.
Gujarat becomes latest state to ban Maggi; to test ITC's Sunfeast also
The state FDA said 14 of 27 samples sent for testing had lead content over permitted levels
Multinational food major Nestle's woes are far from over as after Delhi, Gujarat today banned the instant noodle snack for one month. The state health minister Nitin Patel said that Gujarat is also testing ITC's Sunfeast brand of instant noodles as a few samples have failed food safety tests for monosodium glutamate (MSG).
He, however, added that the action would not have any impact on Nestle's upcoming plant at Sanand here. Nestle is setting up a Rs 400 crore plant at Sanand, about 30 odd kms from Ahmedabad. "We are banning Maggi noodles in Gujarat for a month. Samples of Sunfeast noodles also tested positive for monosodium glutamate (MSG), " said Patel, state health minister and spokesperson, Gujarat Government. An ITCspokesperson could not be contacted over phone, and an email sent remained unanswered till the time of going to press.
When asked if this controversy would have any impact on the Sanand project, Patel said, "There would be no impact on the Sanand project, and Maggi will also sell in Gujarat later, when the company takes corrective action. As of now, we have ordered all samples to be withdrawn from the market."
Gujarat, however, has not banned Sunfeast, as the samples tested did not contain lead beyond permissible limits, but has decided to test more samples to decide further course of action.
As for Maggi, the samples that were sent for testing here in Gujarat contained MSG and also lead above permissible limits. Confirming the development, state Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) commissioner H G Koshia said that of the 27 samples sent for testing in our laboratories, all of them were found to contain MSG. "While all samples contained MSG, around 14 samples contained lead beyond permissible limits," he said.
The permissible level for lead in food products considered to be fit for human consumption is 2.5 ppm, and the Maggi samples were found to contain lead higher than that. "We have found up to 5 ppm of lead in the samples," Koshia said.
The Centre has already approached the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission against Nestle's Indian arm. The food and consumer affairs ministry has lodged a written complaint with the NCDRC, which can directly ask the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for its investigation report and also issue notices and summons to Nestle India.
Cracking down on Maggi: In the war over food safety, our netas are the biggest culprits
Sometimes our government straps on its armour and goes into battle on our behalf, all guns blazing.
This is such a time. And the great enemy of the people is a packet of 2-minute noodles.
The Maggi wars are heating up all over the country. A map of India in The Telegraph shows the various battlefronts helpfully colour-coded in red (banned for now), orange (partial ban/warning), blue (tests ongoing) and green (cleared). As in banned in Delhi for 15 days, warning issued in Karnataka but cleared in Chandigarh. The Indian Army has asked its personnel not to consume Maggi. And the retail giant Future Group, the biggest buyer of Maggi, is taking off its shelves. The Haryana government has conducted raids. Assam CM Tarun Gogoi is asking health officials to get cracking. The Aam Aadmi Party-led government in Delhi has summoned Nestle India officials to discuss safety practices.
But this is not just about Big Bad Maggi and by getting it off the shelves of our stores (and hauling Madhuri Dixit and Big B to court) we will not all be safer and healthier.
As is becoming increasingly clear, Maggi is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to food safety standards that are lax at best and rotten at worst.
As Ashim Sanyal COO of Consumer Voice tellsFirstpost, "Why is it restricted to a single brand? The government should get other products checked and ensure that the companies must follow national standards laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Food Safety Standards."
Maggi is just a symptom of a much larger problem. Of course it makes sense to go after the company that is sitting on 70% of the instant noodles market. But that does not mean the other 30% are off the hook.
“The entire packaged foods market could come under scrutiny,” says Harish Bijoor of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. to the Times of India. “The incident has woken up consumers and they’ll be wary of all dehydrated noodles, branded or unbranded.”
But it’s not just about noodles. Maggi sales might have nosedived but that does not mean its replacements are any safer. Biochemist Thuppil Venkatesh, the national chair of the Indian Society for Lead Awareness and Research, paints a grim picture of what we eat for G.S. Mudur of The Telegraph.
“I think we’ve just seen the tip of an iceberg,” says Venkatesh. According to Venkatesh while we might go into hysteria at the prospect of lead in our Maggi, the fact is there’s documented lead in “a variety of processed and raw food products such as chocolates, milk, vegetables, fish and water.”
Once lead gets into the water it can infiltrate the entire food chain. It’s only recently that some governments are restricting immersion of idols in our rivers because the paint has lead. Most of us have no idea how to dispose of used batteries and the very pipes that we use for plumbing could be leaching lead into our water. And it’s not even what we eat. A 2013 study by doctors in Kolkata showed that at least 20% of the city’s children were affected by lead poisoning via the paint on toys, cheap plastic mugs, cheap crayons cooking utensils, even the paint peeling on the wall. Children are more susceptible because they have smaller bodies.
Now add to this dismal scenario spotty enforcement and testing by the very bodies entrusted with food safety like the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Figures published in media of the FSSAI’s track record show that in 20011-12 it tested 64,593 samples, found 8,247 to be non-conforming, prosecuted 6,,845 and obtained a paltry 764 convictions. That ratio has improved in 2013-14 with 3845 convictions in 10,235 prosecutions but Venkatesh tells The Telegraph that the details of which food products failed tests are not immediately available to the public. “We’d like to know how many failed lead tests.”
And we just don’t know until we find out about lead in buffalo milk in Chennai or paddy in Odisha.
That does not inspire confidence in the monitors of food safety in India.
For example, in the current Maggi hullabaloo we have learned that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation tells The Times of India that the three samples of Maggi is has tested for lead and MSG were within “permissible limits”. Of course, it’s unclear what “permissible limits” even means for presence of lead in food products. But the results hardly inspire consumer confidence because as the Times News Network notes West Bengal is among the worst states for collecting and testing food samples. The annual report from FSSAI shows that in 2012-13 only 91 samples were tested in the state compared to 13,554 in Uttar Pradesh. Even Arunachal Pradesh tested more samples than West Bengal.
In a situation like this the consumer is pretty much left to the mercies and goodwill of the corporation. And companies take full advantage of our lack of standards.Business Standard reports that most paint companies in India have dangerous levels of lead in the enamel paints they sell in this country but we have no mandatory standard for regulating lead in paints only a voluntary code laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standards. The Centre for Science and Environment says in a 2008 studythey found that "the biggest and best companies had lead levels 180 times the voluntary standard." Most governments have tried to phase out lead in paints some 20 years ago. The New York Times’ Gardiner Harris’ child’s respiratory problems dramatically highlighted Delhi’s choking pollution and made much news. Lead wreaks havoc far more insidiously.
“We regularly monitor all our raw material for lead, including testing by accredited laboratories which have consistently shown levels in MAGGI Noodles to be within permissible limits,” says Maggi in a statement trying to exert damage control over the situation. Nestle claims it has submitted 600 product batches to an external laboratory for independent analysis and tested almost 1,000 batches in its own accredited laboratory. Those samples represent almost 125 million packets. In a way Nestle is trying to claim it is doing far more due diligence than the food inspectors themselves.
“Yes. We are confident that our MAGGI Noodle products in India and elsewhere are absolutely safe for consumption,” says Maggi bravely. Whether that bolsters consumer confidence remains to be seen.
But one thing is absolutely clear. Delhi has a pollution problem that has is much bigger than the travails of The New York Times’ Gardiner Harris. And India has a food safety problem and environment problem that’s much bigger than Maggi. And if we think this wake-up call is about a bowl of noodles we are all living in a fool’s paradise.
Maggi is just one battlefront in a far larger war is about food safety.
அதிகாரிகள் அதிரடி தி.மலை பஸ் நிலையத்தில் காலாவதியான குளிர்பானங்கள் சுகாதாரமற்ற தின்பண்டங்கள் அழிப்பு
திரு வண் ணா மலை, ஜூன் 4:
திரு வண் ணா மலை பஸ் நிலை யத் தில் நேற்று அதி கா ரி கள் அதி ரடி சோதனை நடத் தி னர். அப் போது காலா வ தி யான குளிர் பா னங் கள், சுகா தா ர மற்ற தின் பண் டங் களை கைப் பற்றி அழித் த னர்.
திரு வண் ணா மலை பஸ் நிலை யத் தில் காலா வ தி யான குளிர் பா னங் கள், சுகா தா ர மற்ற தின் பண் டங் கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு வ தாக அதி கா ரி களுக்கு ரக சிய தக வல் கிடைத் தது. அதன் பே ரில் நேற்று மாவட்ட நிய மன அலு வ லர் அழ கு ராஜூ தலை மை யில் நகர உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கலைஷ் கு மார், ஒன் றிய உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் ் கள் வீர முத்து, ராஜேந் தி ரன் ஆகி யோர் அடங் கிய குழு வி னர் திரு வண் ணா மலை பஸ் நிலை யத் தி னுள் உள்ள பங்க் கடை கள், டீக் க டை கள், சுவீட் கடை களில் திடீர் சோதனை நடத் தி னர்.
அப் போது ரூ.10 ஆயி ரம் மதிப் புள்ள காலா வ தி யான குளிர் பா னங் கள், சுகா தா ர மற்ற முறை யில் விற் பனை செய் யப் பட்ட தர மில் லாத தின் பண் டங் களை கைப் பற்றி அழித் த னர். கலப் பட டீத் தூளை கைப் பற் றி னர்.
பின் னர் தேரடி தெரு வில் உள்ள பழ மண் டி களில் கார் பைடு கற் கள் மூலம் பழுக்க வைக் கப் பட்ட மாம் ப ழங் கள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கி றதா என் ப தை யும், மெழுகு பூசப் பட்ட ஆப் பிள் விற் பனை செய் யப் ப டு கி ற தா? என் ப தை யும் சோதனை நடத் தி னர். பின் னர் அங் குள்ள ஒரு மளிகை கடை யில் விற் பனை செய் யப் பட்ட மேகி நூடுல்சை பார் வை யிட்ட னர். பின் னர் அதனை சோத னைக் காக எடுத்து சென் ற னர்.
இது குறித்து உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி கள் கூறி ய தா வது:
திரு வண் ணா ம லைக்கு தின மும் ஏரா ள மான பக் தர் கள் வந் து செல் கி றார் கள். இங்கு தர மான குளிர் பா னங் களை விற் பனை செய்ய வேண் டும். காலா வ தி யான குளிர் பா னங் களை குடித் தால் வாந்தி, வயிற் றுப் போக்கு போன்ற உபா தை கள் ஏற் ப டும். எனவே காலா வ தி யான குளிர் பா னங் களை யாரும் விற் பனை செய் யக் கூ டாது.
அதே போல தயா ரிப்பு தேதி, காலா வதி தேதி இல் லாத எந்த பொருட் க ளை யும் யாரும் விற் பனை செய் யக் கூ டாது. அவ் வாறு யாரா வது விற் பனை செய் வது தெரி ய வந் தால் அவர் கள் மீது கடும் நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும். இந்த சோதனை ெதாடர்ந்து நடை பெ றும். இவ் வாறு அவர் கள் கூறி னர்.
தமி ழ கத் தில் உள்ள அனைத்து மாவட்டங் களி லும் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் உணவு மாதி ரி களை எடுத்து பகுப் பாய் விற்கு அனுப் பு மாறு உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை ஆணை யர் குமார் ஜெயந்த் உத் த ர விட்டுள் ளார்
நெல்லை, ஜூன் 4:
மேகி நூடுல் சுக்கு பல் வேறு மாநி லங் கள் தடை விதித்து வரும் சூழ் நி லை யில் தமி ழ கத் தில் அனைத்து மாவட்டங் களி லும் உணவு மாதிரி எடுக் கும் பணி துரி த மாக நடந்து வரு கி றது. நெல்லை மாவட்டத் தில் மொத் தம் 30 உணவு மாதி ரி கள் எடுக் கப் ப டு கின் றன.
இந் தி யா வில் குழந் தை கள் விரும்பி சாப் பி டும் உணவு பொரு ளாக மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் இருந்து வரு கி றது. இதில் நிர் ண யிக் கப் பட்ட அளவை விட கூடு த லாக மோனோ சோடி யம் குளூட்டா மேட் என்ற அமினோ அமி லம் சேர்க் கப் பட்டி ருப் ப தாக பிரச்னை எழுந் துள் ளது. உ.பி.அர சின் உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை நடத் திய ஆய் வில் இது கு றித்த விப ரங் கள் தெரிய வந் த தை ய டுத்து அம் மா நில அரசு மேகி நூடுல் சுக்கு தடை விதித் துள் ளது.
இதன் தொடர்ச் சி யாக பாது காப்பு கருதி மேகி நூடுல் சுக்கு கேரள அர சும் தடை விதித் துள் ளது. பல் வேறு மாநி லங் கள் மேகி நூடுல் சில் கலந் துள்ள வேதிப் பொ ருட் கள் குறித்து உரிய ஆய் வு களை மேற் கொண்டு வரு கின் றன.
தமி ழ கத் தில் உள்ள அனைத்து மாவட்டங் களி லும் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் உணவு மாதி ரி களை எடுத்து பகுப் பாய் விற்கு அனுப் பு மாறு உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை ஆணை யர் குமார் ஜெயந்த் உத் த ர விட்டுள் ளார். மாவட்டங் களில் உள்ள உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை அலு வ லர் கள் முக் கிய கடை களுக்கு சென்று இந்த பகுப் பாய்வு நட வ டிக் கை களில் ஈடு பட்டு வரு கின் ற னர். நெல்லை மாவட்டத் தில் மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு நிய மன அலு வ லர் கரு ணா க ரன் தலை மை யில் மேகி நூடு ல்ஸ் உணவு மாதிரி எடுக் கப் பட்டது. நேற்று மொத் தம் 3 இடங் களில் உணவு மாதிரி எடுத்து அனுப்பி வைக் கப் பட்டது.
இது கு றித்து உணவு பாது காப்பு நிய மன அலு வ லர் கரு ணா க ரன் கூறு கை யில், ‘‘நெல்லை மாவட்டத் தில் மொத் தம் 30 உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் கள் உள் ள னர். துறை ஆணை யர் உத் த ர வின் பேரில் மொத் தம் 30 இடங் களில் நாங் கள் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் உணவு மாதிரி எடுத்து அனுப்ப உள் ளோம். இந்த ஆய் வில் நிர் ண யிக் கப் பட்ட அளவை விட மோனோ சோடி யம் குளூட்டோ மேட் நூடுல் சில் கலந் தி ருப் பது கண் டு பி டிக் கப் பட்டால் மேல் நட வ டிக்கை குறித்து அதி கா ரி கள் முடிவு எடுப் பர் ’’ என் றார்.
உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை ஆணையர் உத்தரவு
தமிழகம் முழுவதும் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் உணவு மாதிரி எடுத்து பகுப்பாய்வு
குமரியில் 9 இடங்களில் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் சாம்பிள் சேகரிப்பு உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறை நடவடிக்கை
நாகர் கோ வில், ஜூன் 4:
குமரி மாவட்டத் தி லும் 9 இடங் களில் இருந்து மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் சாம் பிள் களை உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை யி னர் சேக ரித்து வரு கின் ற னர்.
அள வுக்கு அதி க மாக காரீ யம் என்ற ரசா யன பொருள் கலந் தி ருப் ப தாக கூறி மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் உணவு பொரு ளுக்கு கேரளா, உ.பி உள் ளிட்ட மாநி லங் களில் தடை வி திக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது. தமி ழ கத் தில் 32 மாவட்டங் களில் இருந் தும் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் பாக் கெட் களை சேக ரித்து பரி சோ த னைக்கு அனுப்பி வைக்க உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை அறி வுரை வழங் கி யுள் ளது. அந்த வகை யில் குமரி மாவட்டத் தில் இருந் தும் மேகி சாம் பிள் சேகரிப்பு பணி களில் உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அலு வ லக பணி யா ளர் கள் ஈடு பட்டுள் ள னர்.
இது தொடர் பாக குமரி மாவட்ட உணவு பாது காப்பு அலு வ லர் டாக் டர் சாலோ டீ ச னி டம் கேட்ட போது, ‘மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் சாம் பிள் சேக ரிக்க உத் த ர விட்ட தன் அடிப் ப டை யில் மாவட்டத் தில் நாகர் கோ வில், தக் கலை, மார்த் தாண் டம் உள் ளிட்ட 9 இடங் களில் இருந்து மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் சாம் பிள் சேக ரிக் கப் பட்டு வரு கி றது. தற் போது கடை களில் விற் ப னைக்கு இருக் கின்ற நிலை யி லேயே இதன் சாம் பிள் சேக ரித்து அனுப்பி வைக் கப் ப டும். இது வரை தடை தொடர் பான அறி விப்பு ஏதும் வர வில் லை’ என் றார்.
நூடுல்ஸ் சிக் கல்
ஈயம் கலப்பு, உணவு சுவைக் கூட்டி யான மோனோ சோடி யம் குளுட்டா மேட் கலப்பு போன்ற கார ணங் களுக் காக மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் விற்பனைக்கு பல மாநி லங் கள் தடை போட, சாப்பிடும் உண வில் கூட இப் படி ஒரு கலப் ப டமா என்று நாடே பதற் ற மா கி விட்டது.
நூடுல்ஸ்- தனது வித் தி யாச சுவை யால் உலகையே கட்டிப் போட்ட சீன கண் டு பி டிப்பு. உட னடி உண வாக இந் தி யா வில் நூடுல்ஸ் அறிமு க மா னது 1982ல். அதா வது 33 ஆண் டு களுக்கு முன்னால், இரண்டு நிமி டங் களில் தயா ரித்து சுடச் சுட சாப் பி ட லாம் என்ற அதி ரடி விளம் ப ரத் து டன் கள மி றங் கிய நூடுல்ஸ் இன் றைக்கு இந் தி யா வில் ஆண் டுக்கு ₹2,000 கோடி வரை விற் பனை ஆகி றது.
ஆரம் பத் தில் ஒரே ஒரு நிறு வ னம் மட்டுமே தயாரித்து விற்ற நூடுல்ஸ் இன் றைக்கு பல நிறுவனங் களால் தயா ரிக் கப் பட்டு விற் பனை ஆகி றது. குழந் தை கள் முதல் பெரி ய வர் கள் வரை பல ரும் நூடுல்ஸ் ரசி கர் க ளாக இருக் கி றார் கள். அதிலும் நூடுல்ஸ் தான் வேண் டும் என்று அம்மாவை நச் ச ரிக் காத குழந் தை களை விரல் விட்டு எண் ணி வி ட லாம். அப் படி குழந் தை கள் சாப் பி டும் நூடுல் சில் உணவு சுவை கூட்டி யான மோனோ சோடி யம் குளுட்டா மேட் எது வும் கலக் கப் ப ட வில்லை என்று கொட்டை எழுத் தில் அச் சிட்டு விட்டு, அதை கலந் தது. வாரம் இரு முறை யா வது நூடுல்ஸ் சமைத்து குழந் தை களுக்கு கொடுத்த தாய் மார் களை அது கொதிப் ப டை யச் செய் துள் ளது. அதோடு, அதில் இருந்த ஈயத் தின் அளவு அனு ம திக் கப் பட்ட தை விட 7 மடங்கு அதி கம் என் பது குழந் தை களின் உயி ரோடு விளை யா டும் விஷ யம் என் ப தால் அவர் களை ஆத் தி ரத் தில் தள் ளி யுள் ளது.
இந்த விவ கா ரத் தில் பன் னாட்டு நிறு வ னத் தின் மோச டியை தோலு ரித்து காட்டி ய வர், உ.பி மாநிலம் பாரா பங்கி மாவட்ட உணவு அதி காரி வி.கே.பாண்டே. இவர் கடந்த ஆண்டு மார்ச் மாதம் கடை ஒன் றில் இருந்து எடுத்து சோத னைக்கு அனுப் பிய நூடுல்ஸ் தான், இன் றைக்கு இந்த அளவுக்கு பூதா க ர மாக உரு வெ டுத் துள் ளது.
பன் னாட்டு நிறு வன தயா ரிப்பு என் றால் உயர் தர மா ன தாக இருக் கும் என் பது சரா சரி இந் தி ய னின் நம் பிக்கை. ஆனால், அது உண் மை யா ன தல்ல என் பதை இச் சம் ப வம் நிரூ பித் துள் ளது. பெரும் பா லான பன் னாட்டு நிறு வ னங் கள், அமெ ரிக்க, ஐரோப் பிய நாடு களுக்கு உயர் தரத் தி லும், இந் தியா போன்ற வள ரும் நாடு களுக்கு தரம் குறைந்த தயா ரிப் பு களை யும் விற் பனை செய் வது இந்த சம் ப வம் மூலம் கண் கூ டாக தெரி கி றது.
எல் லோ ருக் கும் இருப் பது ஒரே ஒரு உயிர் தான் என் ப தும், அது போனால் திரும் பாது என் ப தும் இந்த நிறு வ னங் களுக்கு தெரி யாதா என் ன? இந்தியா வில் தரம் குறைந்த - உயி ருக்கு ஆபத்தை விளை விக் கும் பொருளை விற் றா லும் அதை யாரும் தட்டிக் கேட்க மாட்டார் கள் என்ற தைரி யத் தில் தான் இப் ப டிப் பட்ட தர மற்ற பொருட் கள் இந் திய சந் தை களில் குவிந்து வரு கின் றன.
இப் படி ஒரு பொருளை தயா ரித்து அமெ ரிக் கா வில் விற் றி ருந்தது அது கண் டு பி டிக் கப் பட்டால் சம் பந் தப் பட்ட நிறு வ னம் பல் லா யி ரம் கோடி களை இழப் பீ டாக பாதிக் கப் பட்ட வர் களுக்கு செலுத்த வேண் டி யி ருந் தி ருக் கும். இந் தி யா வில் சட்டங் கள் அந்த அள வுக்கு வலு வாக இல் லா த தால் நிறுவனங் கள் தப் பி வி ட லாம். ஆனால், இது போன்ற தர மற்ற உணவு பொருட் களை இந் தி யர் கள் தலை யில் கட்ட நினைக் கும் நிறு வ னங் களுக்கு பாட மாக இருக் கும் வகை யில் கடு மை யான நட வ டிக் கையை மத் திய, மாநில அர சு கள் எடுப் பது அவ சி யம்.
Maggi noodles row: Is the 2-minute noodles safe?
Facing trouble in many states over the safety of its popular Maggi noodles, Nestle India on Thursday said that Maggi Noodle products in India and elsewhere are absolutely safe for consumption. There is a segment on the company's website that says, MAGGI Noodles in India: your questions answered.
Here is list of queries and their answers
Are Maggi Noodles safe to eat?
Yes. We are confident that our Maggi Noodle products in India and elsewhere are absolutely safe for consumption.
Food safety is Nestle's number one priority. We do more food testing that any other entity in the world and have many stringent controls to guarantee safety: starting from the raw materials we use, throughout processing to packaging.
We have tested around 1,000 batches of MAGGI Noodles in our own laboratories and also asked an independent lab to test an additional 600 product batches. Almost 125 million or 12.5 Crore packets were tested in total. The test results confirm that MAGGI Noodles are safe, with lead levels well within the food safety limits specified by the Indian authorities.
What are you doing in response to the findings from the Indian authorities of elevated levels of lead in Maggi Noodles?
We understand that consumers are concerned by reports that state authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi have found elevated levels of lead in a sample pack of MAGGI Masala Noodles. We are fully cooperating with the authorities and engaging with them to clarify the situation.
The sample tested in Uttar Pradesh came from a batch that had an expiry date of November 2014 and is therefore no longer in the market.
We are now working closely with the regulators in Delhi to understand the results of their tests. We are sharing our own test results, which show MAGGI Noodles to be completely safe, explaining our own testing methodologies and trying to understand the discrepancy between their test results and ours.
Some states are conducting their own tests on MAGGI Noodles as a precautionary measure.
We understand how unsettling some of the current confusion is for our consumers and are working hard to resolve this matter.
Why is there any lead at all in Maggi Noodles?
Trace amounts of lead are present in the atmosphere and in the soil around the world due to the use of fertilisers and pest control. The authorities have set firm limits to ensure that any lead present in a finished product are within recommended food safety levels and safe to consume.
We regularly monitor all our raw materials for lead, including testing by accredited laboratories. These tests have consistently shown lead in MAGGI Noodles to be within safe limits. In addition to testing both raw materials and finished products for lead, we carry out extensive research on lead and contribute to global efforts to assure safety in this area.
We are constantly striving to improve the quality of agricultural materials across the food chain, working with farmers, suppliers, authorities and the rest of the food industry to ensure food safety.
Why are you still selling the product? Will there be a recall?
Our own tests and tests in external laboratories have shown that MAGGI Noodles are safe. The levels of lead found in them are well within the food safety limits set by the authorities. Our product is still available for sale because we are confident that it is safe and of good quality.
On 30 April 2015 the local authorities in Lucknow asked us to recall one batch of MAGGI Noodles (around 200,000 packs) which were manufactured in February 2014 and expired in November 2014. Nestlé India's practice is to collect stock that is close to its expiry date from distributors so we are confident that these packs are no longer in the market.
On 3 June 2015 the Delhi authorities made a press announcement that a 15 day ban would be imposed on MAGGI Noodles and that Nestlé would be served with a notice to recall the product from retail outlets in the state. We are yet to receive an official notification of this from the authorities.
We are currently engaging with different authorities in India, both at federal and state levels, to clarify the situation.
We understand how unsettling some of the current confusion is for our consumers and we are working hard to resolve this matter.
We remain confident that our MAGGI Noodles in India and elsewhere are absolutely safe for consumption.
Why are you the subject of a criminal complaint by the state government in Uttar Pradesh?
We are aware of media reports that say a case has been filed against us by the authorities in Uttar Pradesh . On receipt of the official notice we will take appropriate action under the guidance of our legal advisors. We cannot comment any further at this stage.
Why did the authorities find MSG in your product when it says 'no added MSG' on the label?
We do not add the flavour enhancer MSG (E621) to MAGGI Noodles in India. However, the product contains glutamate from hydrolysed groundnut protein, onion powder and wheat flour. Glutamate produces a positive result in a test for MSG.
Weren't you misleading consumers?
It was not our intention to mislead consumers but we understand that the positive result in a test for MSG has led to concern among people who buy the product.
But by saying 'no added MSG' on the label weren't you just trying to get around the labelling regulations?
No. We were not trying to 'get around' the labelling regulations. In response to consumer preference for products without MSG we took the decision that, where none was added, we should make this clear on the label by stating 'no added MSG'. This is common practice followed by the food industry and complies with Indian food law and regulations.
It is clear that our labelling has led to some confusion and we are fully engaged with the authorities and the food industry to resolve the situation.
Why are you still selling the product?
We understand people's concern but we want to reassure them that MAGGI Noodles are safe to eat and fully compliant with the regulatory requirements in India.
What is the difference between monosodium glutamate (MSG) and glutamate?
The amino acid L-Glutamate is one of the most abundant and important amino acids of proteins. It is found in all foods that contain protein, such as cheese, milk, mushrooms, meat, fish, and many vegetables. The natural flavour-enhancing levels of glutamate in food varies greatly, but are high in foods such as tomatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce and fish sauce.
Monosodium glutamate, abbreviated as MSG, was discovered more than a century ago by the Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda, who gave this unique taste the name "umami", the fifth taste beside sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Today, MSG is mostly produced by a natural fermentation process that has been used for centuries to make such common foods as beer, vinegar and yogurt.
Are MSG or glutamate unsafe?
None of the many scientific studies carried out over the last 30 years has shown a link between MSG intake and adverse reactions such as 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome'. The international World Health Organisation / UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's evaluation committee, the European Commission's Scientific Committee for Food and the United States Food and Drug Administration have affirmed that MSG is safe under common conditions of use.
There have been some concerns raised about the contribution of MSG to sodium intake via the diet. However, MSG contains only about one-third the amount of sodium as table salt (13 percent vs. 40 percent) and so where we use it in products, in combination with a small amount of table salt, MSG can help reduce the total amount of sodium in a recipe by 20% to 40%, while maintaining an enhanced flavor. The level of glutamate for example in MAGGI Noodles is around 0.2 g/100 g, which is close to the average level of glutamate measured in the same portion size of tomatoes or peas.
So if it is safe, why say on labels that no MSG has been added to a product?
In response to consumer preference for products without MSG we have taken the decision that where none is added we should make this clear on the label.
What are you doing to reduce MSG?
Where we use MSG we are not reducing it because we consider the levels of MSG we use to be safe. We do not add MSG (E621) to our MAGGI Noodles. We are not reducing the quantities of the natural ingredients which provide glutamate in the product as it improves the aroma and taste of MAGGI Noodles.
Food scientists caution against passing 2-minute judgement on Maggi
Scientists say it is unfair to call the noodles ‘unsafe’ even before the final test results are in; ask for findings of other labs and information on how the samples, which allegedly had higher than permitted levels of lead and MSG, were blended and analysed
Food scientists believe the raging controversy over Maggi noodles is unwarranted. According to them, it would be jumping the gun if one were to label the popular food product ‘unsafe’ even before the results of the final tests are in. They have also pointed out a number of grey areas in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators’ tests.
Nestle claimed they do not add MSG to Maggi noodles and this is stated on the product as well. Pic/AFPMaggi noodles have been at the centre of an ever-increasing storm after the Uttar Pradesh (UP) FDA officials initiated a recall in April of a batch of the product manufactured in February 2014 — which was tested the same month — after allegedly finding higher than permitted levels of monosodium glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer, and lead.
Dr Uday Annapure, who is a former president of the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists of India’s Mumbai chapter, asserted that the FDA officials in UP should’ve alerted the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) immediately when they had seized the Maggi noodles packets and subsequently found discrepancies in the laboratory reports. He added that this promptness could’ve helped collect samples from all over the country. The delay on part of the UP FDA meant such packets with discrepancies would’ve either expired or gone off shelves.
“The delay of over one and a half year (February 2014 to May 2015) has left no samples for further testing, since the fresh samples of noodles may or may not give results to prove any discrepancies,” Dr Annapure told mid-day.
S Anoop, assistant director (enforcement), FSSAI, Delhi, confirmed that the UP FDA had not informed them about the issue. “We were not kept informed about the findings by FDA UP, either then (February 2014) nor now after the latest test reports have come. It is only after the media started reporting about the issue that FSSAI has sent directives to all the state FDAs to carry out inspection of the samples. Had we been informed early, we could have taken similar action then and could have got the stocks for testing then,” he told mid-day.
Asked if any explanation would be sought for this lapse, the officer replied in the affirmative, stating that the point would be raised in the national-level meetings, which are attended by state FDA commissioners.
Dr Annapure believes other brands should also be subjected to the same scrutiny. “If the authorities (FDA/FSSAI) were serious enough and were actually concerned of public safety at large, noodle samples of all brands from across the country should have been taken and tested. This did not happen,” he said.
According to him, it is also important to find out the methodology used to ascertain the levels of heavy metals by the testing laboratory. “We do not have any scientific database available in India to determine the permissible limits of heavy metals in the raw materials used in food processing industries,” he said.
Maggi noodles fall under Nestlé’s prepared dishes and cooking aids category of products. According to the company’s annual report, in the year 2014, the conglomerate clocked gross sales of Rs 2,900 crore in this category.
No negative reports on Maggi: State
The state government has said there have been no negative reports about the 8-10 Maggi samples tested so far. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Girish Bapat said, “We’ll take necessary action against Nestlé if something is found amiss. The probe into alleged lapses of food safety standards has already been expanded to test Maggi noodles samples from across the country.”
'Look at safety aspects of other foods too'
Dr Deepa Bhajekar, director, D-technology, said, “It is unfair to jump the gun before certain facts — like how the samples were blended and taken for analysis and the findings of other laboratories — are submitted on the issue. It is unfortunate that we do not look at safety aspects of other foods, be it naturally grown or processed.” She added that if one were to look at it from the food safety perspective, the entire market scenario should be taken into consideration. “If the food safety perspective is looked at strongly, we should consider agricultural crops, including vegetables, and processed foods also. Crops grown in different soils may reflect other heavy metals, which may be harmful or even minerals, which may be beneficial. At present, we do not have elaborate scientific research-based data on this,” Dr Bhajekar said.
Noodle sales nosedive by 50 per cent
Maggi Noodles, children’s favourite two-minute comfort snack, is in a soup with mothers chucking it out of their kitchen cabinets. Triggered by the nationwide health scare regarding its content of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG), sales of the snack have registered a 50 per cent dip in Vijayawada’s shops and supermarkets.
“Yes, there’s been a sharp decline in sales of Maggi noodles. Families who used to carry home several packets are avoiding it altogether,” said Bilal, the manager of Modern Super Market on Besant Road.
Food giant Nestle India’s Maggi noodles have been subjected to scrutiny ever since food officials in Uttar Pradesh found that it contains MSG and lead in amounts exceeding permissible limits.
After lab reports confirmed that the samples of Maggi noodles they tested were found ‘unsafe’, Delhi banned the product for 15 days while the Kerala government has removed the brand from State-run outlets. While Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala reacted immediately by opting for sample testing, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana both followed suit on Wednesday.
“We received samples of Maggi noodles from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana today,” said A. Krishna Kumari, Deputy Chief Public Analyst, Directorate of Institute Preventive Medicine, Hyderabad. “We’ll start the analysis tomorrow and it will take at least five days for the result to be known.”
With the MSG alarm spreading fast, the spotlight has also shifted to other instant noodle brands. Even roadside food vendors selling ‘Chinese’ noodles at busy centres in the city have been hit. Complaining that the throng around their food cart has thinned since yesterday, most of them were unable to comprehend why.
Monosodium glutamate, commonly known as ajinomoto, is one of the main ingredients of Chinese foods.
Excess consumption of MSG is known to promote sluggishness, headache, nausea, increased thirst and chest tightness.
The scare started when V.K. Pandey, a 40-year-old Barabanki-based officer of the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration, collected samples of Maggi from a store on March 10 for tests to determine whether the manufacturer was complying with its stated claim that the product doesn’t contain any MSG.
Even since, the two-minute ‘pack of goodness’ has been swiftly disappearing from the shelves of stores across towns, cities and states.
Andhra Pradesh joins a growing list of states rushing Maggi Noodles to food safety tests
Action after getting reports from all states: Nadda
Amid row surrounding Maggi noodles, Union Health Minister JP Nadda Wednesday assured that his Ministry will take appropriate action based on reports from all the states and said no laxity will shown.
Nadda said that he will hold a meeting tonight or tomorrow to take a complete stock of the whole issue.
"We had issued an advisory to all the states and told them to take samples of maggi noodles and report to us by June 1. The states have started sending their reports. Few states are still left.
"We are waiting for the reports to come. We are taking a view on it. Maybe tonight or tomorrow we will be having a meeting. We will take a complete picture of the issue.
Accordingly action will be taken. No laxity will be there.
Appropriate action will be taken," Nadda said.
Maggi Noodles Row Raises Questions on Food Safety Laws in India
NEW DELHI: As more and more states test samples of Maggi noodles to find out whether it has high lead content or mono-sodium glutamate or MSG, a taste enhancer, questions are being raised about how packaged food items are given license in India and what role does the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) - the nodal agency which gives such approvals - plays in it.
There are specific guidelines and rules in place for all products on the basis of which they get their approvals from FSSAI. But to find out if the products in the market meet the benchmarks, they need to be randomly tested, an exercise that falls on state governments.
The details of ingredients and composition as given by the manufacturers are taken as true while giving approvals. The onus for adhering to those is also on the companies that make the product. There may be some random tests to check these and if they fail, they are open to prosecution. In a process that's now online, the FSSAI also needs proof like shelf-life stability data of the product before getting its approval. The body also has an internal scientific committee, which can also refer a particular approval to a larger panel of scientific experts in some cases.
"There is a larger food safety issue here. Our laws on labelling need more improvement. As of today, the Indian safety authority does not have a law on nutritional fact labelling. The consumer should know what he/she is buying and what kind of ingredients are there and what their nutritional value is. The issue is more to do with implementation and monitoring at the state level," explains Amit Khurana, the Program Manager (food safety and toxins) from the Centre for Science and Environment.
In the first five months of this year alone, FSSAI has rejected over 200 products. In 2013-14, it launched cases in over 10,000 instances where there was a violation of the food safety law. It managed to get over 3,000 convictions. Punishment under this law ranges from a fine and/or jail. There is also the possibility of recalling a product till it meets the standards.
Maggi in deeper soup: Centre files complaint before NCDRC
In further troubles for Nestle over Maggi issue, the government has filed a complaint on its own with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) -- using a provision for the first time from the nearly three-decade-old Consumer Protection Act.
Describing the alleged lapses related to food safety standards in Maggi noodles as a "serious issue", Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan also said that the NCDRC will investigate the matter and take appropriate action.
"We cannot say at this point of time, what exact action NCDRC will take," he added.
Paswan also said that rising fast food consumption may have health risk.
"In cities like Mumbai, 25 per cent of people do not eat at home. With rise in consumption of fast food items, there is also risk of health. Maggi is eaten maximum by children," he added.
Usually, NCDRC comes into play following complaints filed by a consumer, but a section of this Act of 1986 also provides for the government to register a complaint.
"For the first time, we are taking action under Section 12-1-D of the Consumer Protection Act, under which both Centre and states have powers to file complaints," Paswan said.
This particular section deals with the manner in which a complaint can be made before NCDRC.
It states that "a complaint in relation to any goods sold or delivered or agreed to be sold or delivered or any service provided or agreed to be provided may be filed by ... The Central Government or the State Government, as the case may be, either in its individual capacity or as a representative of interests of the consumers in general."
While the government has already asked central food safety regulator FSSAI to look into the matter, it had earlier said that NCDRC would look into this issue if a complaint is filed.
"Since there would be delay in getting FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) reports and since it is concerned about consumers, we decided to file a written complaint before NCDRC in the interest of consumers," Paswan told reporters here.
The Maggi we ate
The discovery of impermissibly high levels of lead and the presence of mono sodium glutamate (MSG) in Maggi noodles — despite a labelled disclosure on Maggi packets denying its use in the product — is adequate reason to put all packaged food products under the scanner. Apparently, West Bengal has done exactly that by sending samples of popular snacks Kurkure and Lays for testing. It was in March 2014 that an Uttar Pradesh food safety official sent samples of Maggi from a batch manufactured in February 2014 for testing to a regional government lab in Gorakhpur. That test revealed only MSG but the company appealed against the results prompting UP to send the samples to the Central Food Laboratory(CFL), Kolkata. The CFL discovered, in addition to MSG, a lead concentration of 17.2 parts per million against the acceptable lead range of 0.01-2.5 ppm in the product. The CFL results reached UP only in April this year despite the samples being sent last July. That the CFL tests took nine months reveals the state of our food safety architecture. In the interim period, several batches of the Maggi noodles would have reached the market, potentially endangering consumers’ health. Now, Delhi has also discovered high levels of lead and MSG in Maggi. The results were delivered within a week of the samples being sent for tests because of the public outcry.
Meanwhile, Nestle India continues with its aggressive defence of its bestselling product. But the controversy raises questions about the ethics espoused by the companies. Maggi has been a popular item of consumption and the discovery of lead raises concerns about the company’s cavalier attitude to food safety and how long the company could have fooled consumers and regulators. It is disconcerting to note that the initiative to test the popular noodle product was displayed by a solitary official in Barabanki though every district in the country has food inspectors and the batch was probably dispatched across the country. It is natural then to wonder how many products elude the systemic checks. More worryingly, CFL, Kolkata, spotted the high lead content which went undiscovered by the regional lab in Gorakhpur, pointing to lower capabilities at the regional public labs.
Further, the credibility of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), whose insignia is prominently displayed by branded food products as a signifier of conformity to official standards, has been undermined.
According to the FSSAI website, 32,389 food samples were sent to public laboratories for testing from April to September 2014, of which 4,924 samples did not conform to the Food Safety and Standards Act, and 933 criminal and 2,785 civil prosecutions were subsequently launched. The FSS Act allows for fines up to Rs10 lakh and varying jail terms including life imprisonment if unsafe food causes death. However, in the spirit of the Right to Information Act, the FSSAI must reveal on its website the names of brands — for packaged products — and the names of hotels and eateries — for cooked food — where unsafe samples were lifted from. Recently, the FSSAI CEO YS Malik was forced to go public against accusations by top companies whose products were rejected by the FSSAI. The companies had alleged that the FSSAI’s activism was harming the Prime Minister’s Make in India pitch. Malik pointed out that Make in India also promised “Zero Defect and Zero Effect” and said those who draw parallels with the USFDA or EU regulatory systems should understand that self-regulation works well only in those countries with an enlightened consumer base and an effective and responsive legal system. The Maggi revelations clearly show that companies cannot be trusted with a self-regulatory system. The onus is now on the FSSAI to proactively conduct more tests and strengthen its regulatory oversight mechanisms.
Will claims hold water? Time’ll tell
Maitri Porecha
In the backdrop of the row over Maggi, dna sought to do a reality check on the claims made by the makers of the product. We asked FDA officials to respond to the claims. Here’s what they had to say:
Claim: Maggi does not contain lead
FDA: Any food product which is derived from a cereal crop, like wheat is likely to contain traces of toxic metal elements like lead as such elements are naturally present in the soil in varying amounts. The lab is yet to verify if there are trace elements of lead and what quantity are they present
Claim: No added MSG
FDA: MSG occurs in two forms. It occurs in ‘bound,’ form and is naturally occurring in vegetables like tomato and mushrooms for instance. It is extracted from naturally occurring substances and processed to make ‘free’ form of MSG – popularly manufactured brand being, ‘Ajinomoto.’ Ajinomoto or MSG is then added to food to enhance its taste. We’re testing samples to check if additional MSG was added. Consumption of MSG containing products or foodstuff in ‘bounded,’ or ‘free,’ form in excess affects digestion, causes acidity, breathlessness, sweating and in the long run affects kidney and the brain.
Claim: It is a source of protein and calcium
FDA: The claims are being tested in the lab. Amounts of protein and calcium will be verified.
Claim: It should be a part of a light meal along with fruits and milk.
FDA: Usually kids eat Maggi in bulk. Only eating Maggi for all meals or daily is harmful.
There’re others too
Latest media reports may have brought to the fore the ill-effects of monosodium glutamate, but there are many other food ingredients that can be equally harmful. Here are some of them:
Artificial sweeteners: Found in organic raw honey, brown rice sytup, maple syrup. Most common of them are aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, acesulfame K, and neotame. These sweeteners can lead to an array of symptoms such as headaches, chest pain, blurred vision, hearing loss, nausea, increased appetite, etc.
Synthetic food colours: They are used in several items such as juices and confectionery items. They contain small parts of lead and arsenic, which can cause allergic reactions and increase hyperactivity in many children with attention deficit disorder.
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene: These chemicals are commonly found in products that are at the risk of oils going rancid. These chemicals can cause carcinogens inside human body.
Brominated vegetable oil: Found in soft drinks, energy drinks and sports drinks. The chemical can interfere with one’s reproductive system.
ALL ABOUT MSG:
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) occurs in two forms. It occurs in ‘bound,’ form and is naturally occurring in vegetables like tomato and mushrooms for instance. It is extracted from naturally occurring substances and processed to make ‘free’ form of MSG – popularly manufactured brand being, ‘Ajinomoto.’ Ajinomoto or MSG is then added to food to enhance its taste. FDA is testing samples to check if additional MSG was added. Consumption of MSG containing products or foodstuff in ‘bounded,’ or ‘free,’ form in excess affects digestion, causes acidity, breathlessness, sweating and in the long run affects kidney and the brain.
FORTUNE COOKIE: Maggi might be bad, but it's not alone
The Maggi row has given the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India a chance to crack down on big companies, restaurants and street vendors alike
The nationwide action initiated against Maggi noodles may seem like a classic case of too little, too late, but it has given us a reason to mull over the state of the food we eat, and the conditions in which it is produced.
The central issue isn’t Maggi, which has had a free run for more than 32 years, or its manufacturer, Nestle, nor is it Amitabh Bachchan or Madhuri Dixit (can we have no news story in this country without a ‘celebrity angle’?).
The matter that should get us all agitated is the inadequacy of our laws and of our enforcement agencies to cope with a monumental challenge affecting our everyday lives.
In the past, I have written about the disproportionate interest shown by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to block the import of food items and alcoholic beverages, citing at times ludicrous labelling issues.
If it had invested the same effort in ensuring that domestic players – from multinational companies and local manufacturers to restaurants, slaughterhouses and street food vendors – followed international hygiene standards and food quality norms, we wouldn’t have a situation where each packet of the now-condemned Maggi comes with an FSSAI logo, which is supposed to guarantee that it is safe for consumption.
The FSSAI’s limp defence is that it has neither the required number of trained personnel, nor an adequate spread of laboratories to carry out its vast mandate - but it has been around for too long, and has too little to show for itself, for this argument to work in its favour.
Maggi, to use the word play that has now become endemic, may be in a soup, but it doesn’t mean that other food products flooding the market are safe for human consumption (and of course, now we know that the FSSAI logo doesn’t guarantee anything).
For years, experts have been raising the red flag against our food labelling laws, and NGOs such as the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) have been coming out with damning evidence against some of the popular food brands, but no one has cared to even look into the findings.
The CSE has claimed that manufacturers of food products have been paying only lip service to the limits set by the law on trans fats, which are acknowledged to be among the major causes of blocked arteries and heart attacks.
A couple of years back, the CSE subjected some of the popular packaged food labels to lab tests and reported the findings in a publication targeted at schoolchildren, Junk Food Busted.
“Haldiram Aloo Bhujia and Top Ramen instant noodles claim to be trans fats-free. But are they really?” the CSE asked in this publication.
FSSAI rules lay down that a product can claim to be trans fats-free if it contains less than 0.2 gm of these deadly substances per serving, but the CSE study found that a packet of Top Ramen instant noodles has 0.6 gm of trans fats and 100 gm of Haldiram Aloo Bhujia has 2.5 gm of trans fats.
The CSE report also said: “Products like Lay’s American Style Cream & Onion claim that they have ‘zero’ trans fats in 100 gm of their products. The CSE study, however, found 0.9 gm of trans fats in 100 gm of chips. Bingo Oye Pudina chips is another such product.”
The companies strongly refuted the allegations in the CSE report.
If international food manufacturers are accused of dodgy labelling practices, can we blame the street food vendor who keeps reusing the same oil, releasing cancer-causing chemicals into the cooking medium?
Our universe of FBOs, barring maybe the starred hotels and airline kitchens, is an unregulated mass that the FSSAI has neither the muscle, nor the will to control.
We can only hope that the outrage over Maggi will soup up a sustained national campaign against any who have reduced our food laws into an unappetising mess.
For the last 32 years or more that Maggi has been around, I can’t think of a single journalist who hasn’t either had a bowl to soothe her 6pm hunger pangs or sought its sustenance after a gruelling night shift.
Unsurprisingly, each media office has its favourite Maggiwallah, who makes a killing between 6pm and 12 midnight dishing up soupy bowls of Maggi pepped up with onions, tomatoes and capsicum.
The party is over for this Maggi economy. And how did journalists express their feelings about its demise? Moments after the Delhi government announced its ban, they plastered Facebook with pictures of them having their last bowl of Maggi.
Maggi samples taken for tests, no ban in city
GURGAON: Even as food safety officers lifted samples of Maggi noodles across the city and started testing them on Wednesday, the dish was available in various outlets all the same. The initiative was taken after the health ministry directed food safety officers across districts to collect the samples.
District food safety officer Jitender Yadav told TOI that the department would collect samples from wholesalers and samples might include other noodle brands.
"According to health ministry guidelines, we are collecting samples of Maggi noodles. The samples will be sent for testing for all parameters to notified laboratories, in keeping with the instructions given by the ministry," he said.
Maggi came under the scanner recently after the food safety department in UP filed a case under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) after samples were found to contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) higher than the permissible level.
TOI correspondents found both Maggi packets and cooked Maggi noodles were widely available at grocery shops and roadside stalls across the city.
People seem to have mixed views on Maggi consumption. Sujata Sharma, a resident of Sushant Lok I, said, "Even though we have stopped bringing Maggi home, my children can easily have it outside, as cooked Maggi is still available at roadside stalls. The government should impose an immediate ban on the product."
Many seemed sceptical of the ban. "Several provisions of the FSSA, 2006 can't be implemented immediately. Generally, courts in India either stay the ban or extend the deadline for food business operators. So I don't think the product will be banned anytime soon," said Rishi Tyagi, a city-based advocate.
Meanwhile the roadside stalls selling Maggi noodles outside major IT-BPO hubs in the city were doing a brisk business.
There were a few exceptions, though, in some areas such as Udyog Vihar where the usual Maggi stalls were missing on Wednesday. "There is a stall that sells Maggi right here outside my office in Udyog Vihar Phase III, but today it is not there. I am not sure if it is because of the ongoing debate on its safety," said Gunjan Sharma, an IT executive.
West Bengal fails food safety tests
KOLKATA: The Maggi controversy has raked up the food safety issue and the role of monitoring agency who would ensure that the food we consume is safe. The office of the food safety commissioner for every state is supposed to keep a vigil on safety standards of food by testing samples on regular basis.
West Bengal's performance in this regard is dismal. The state is among the worst performing states when it comes to collecting and testing food samples. According to annual food testing report for 2012-2013 by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), only 91 samples were collected and tested in the state. Even as 41 samples were found adulterated or misbranded, no cases were lodged against any of the offenders, let alone convicting or penalizing them.
The state's performance in the food safety issue is even worse than states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, that are branded as BIMARU states. Bihar collected 1189 food samples during the same period and analyzed 1103 samples out of which 121 samples were found adulterated. The state initiated 18 criminal and 71 civil cases against the offenders and 14 offenders were penalized. The state even collected a little more than rupees two lakhs as penalty.
State health officials point out insufficient manpower for its poor performance; At present there is only 14 food safety officers (FSO) for the entire state. Sources in the food safety commission says that with this meagre manpower it is impossible to go on collecting samples randomly.
"The number of FSO is insufficient right now. However we have got the post of 114 FSO sanctioned. Once the recruitment is made we are looking forward to improving our performance," said state food safety commissioner Godhuli Mukherjee.
But then Bihar too has only 14 FSOs and it has done better than West Bengal. States like Gujarat had 11,111 samples collected out of which 10,495 samples analyzed during the same period. Out of the 900 samples found adulterated, 56 criminal cases and 321 civil cases were lodged against the offender. This resulted to 16 convictions and 12 being penalized.
Among the big states Orissa is the only state that lags behind West Bengal. Even smaller states like Manipur, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh tested more samples than West Bengal. The tiny state of Arunachal Pradesh collected a whopping amount of Rs 6.33 lakhs by way of penalty.
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