Jun 3, 2015
Ram Vilas Paswan defends food safety standards authority
New Delhi, June 3 : Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Wednesday defended the food safety watchdog FSSAI over the Maggi noodles controversy, and said if a company violated the standards, the regulator cannot be responsible for it. ”After getting licence, if someone does wrong and misleads the consumer, how FSSAI (Food Safety Standards Authority of India) can be held responsible,” Paswan said here in a press conference.
The minister was asked whether the FSSAI was responsible for not checking the qualities of Maggi. Paswan said the government takes action only after written complaints are received. But in the case of Maggi, it has suo motu ordered the inquiry as the matter is concerned with the health of consumer, specially the children.
He also said until the inquiry is completed, the government cannot take action either against the company or against the brand ambassadors. The Delhi government on Wednesday banned Maggi noodles for 15 days in the capital city, after its samples were found to contain more than the permissible quantity of lead.
Maggi banned in Delhi for 15 days, govt to test other noodles
Sale of instant noodles Maggi, a popular product of Nestle India, was on Wednesday banned in the national capital for 15 days as Delhi government found it unsafe for consumption due to excessive lead even as it decided to carry out lab test of all other noodles.
The Delhi government also directed the Indian arm of the Swiss multinational giant to withdraw Maggi stocks from the Delhi market within 15 days after which laboratory test will be conducted on fresh stocks and a decision will be taken whether it can be sold.
The decision to ban sale of Maggi came after Delhi Health Department was not satisfied with explanation of Nestle India on authorities finding lead beyond permissible limit in the noodle samples lifted from across the city.
The government has put a ban on Maggi noodles for 15 days. "We have asked Nestle India to withdraw Maggi stocks within 15 days. We will carry out lab testing of fresh stocks and a decision will be taken thereafter," Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said.
Jain said the government will file a case against Nestle India in court as per provisions of the Food Adulteration Act and will not compromise on issues relating to health safety.
He said government will also carry out lab testing of all other noodles brands available in the city and will take action based on the reports.
Earlier a group of officials from Nestle India explained to Jain about their position on the issue insisting that they the Maggi noodles were not harmful for consumption.
On Tuesday, the Delhi government had said that it found samples of Maggi noodles unsafe for consumption as it contained lead beyond the permissible level in Maggi masala (tastemaker).
According to officials, a total of 13 samples of masala (tastemaker) were lifted by authorities from various areas of the city last week of which 10 were found unsafe.
Five samples of masala were also having monosodium glutamate without proper label declaration which is an offence under the category of misbranding, they said. A number of states including Kerala and Haryana have initiated steps on the Maggi issue.
The probe into alleged lapses of food safety standards has already been expanded to test Maggi noodle samples from across the country following detection of monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in the noodles.
However, Nestle India claimed it has got samples tested in an external laboratory as well as in-house and that the product was found safe to eat.
Maggi test results to be known by weekend: TN official
Results of sample tests on Maggi to determine Monosodium Glutamate(MSG) and lead contents being conducted by theTamil Nadu government are expected by the weekend and would be sent to the Centre, a top official said here today.
"The next course of action will be based on the findings of the nature of results that we get and the action will be in tune with the law (Food Safety and Standards Act)," the Food Safety official said.
"We have sent Maggi samples to test the levels of MSG and lead and the results are expected by this week end," he said.
A report will be sent to the Centre as well, he added.
Asked on the parameters that was being looked into in the tests, he said,"there are set scientific parameters for such products and it will be examined as per norms."
Random samples have been picked up from "several locations" in Tamil Nadu and it has been sent for testing.
The official indicated that as of now no directions have been issued to remove stocks of Maggi from the retail shops in Tamil Nadu.
He declined to comment on reported presence of larvae and insects in a "NAN PRO 3" (also a brand of Nestle) milk power tin as complained by a consumer based in Coimbatore.
The State food safety wing in Coimbatore tested the NAN PRO3 milk powder bought by a cab driver and the initial report by one of its food analysts found live larvae in the sample.
Reacting to the report, Nestle India in a statement in Chennai, said the company had not been contacted over the milk powder issue either by the consumer or the authorities.
"Our manufacturing technology excludes the possibility of insects living and surviving in the sealed package in which this product is sold," it said.
Nestle said it was making every effort to obtain needed information to investigate the consumer complaint".
Tamil Nadu government decided to send Maggi to the labs following reports that it had ingredients like MSG beyond the stipulated levels in tests conducted by Uttar Pradesh and in some other parts of the country.
Uttar Pradesh and Kerala have already ordered the retailers in their states to take the product off their shelves.
The Central Government had made it clear yesterday that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is testing more Maggi samples.
Army bans Maggi for its personnel
The order, in a fresh setback to brand owner Nestle, covers over 1000 Army canteens and the complete 13-lakh strong Army.
The Army on Wednesday issued an advisory asking its personnel not to consume Maggi noodles and directed military canteens to set aside the existing stock of the popular snack until further orders.
The order issued in the evening, comes in the wake of a controversy over alleged presence of lead and taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) in the noodles beyond permissible limits.
The order, in a fresh setback to brand owner Nestle, covers over 1000 Army canteens and the complete 13-lakh strong Army.
“The advisory is effective till further order,” an Army official said.
Maggi is one of the most consumed food item among the Army personnel.
The Union government has referred the Maggi issue to the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission to take appropriate action, even as more states — Odisha, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal — lifted samples for laboratory testing.
Consumer cooperative society Kendriya Bhandar is withdrawing Maggi noodles from its 130 stores in and outside Delhi.
The noodles brand, a household name, was on Wednesday also banned in Delhi for 15 days and existing stocks were ordered to be withdrawn while retail major Future Group stopped sale of the popular instant snack at its Big Bazaar outlets.
Maggi row: In a first, Centre moves Consumer Forum
Section 12-1-D of the Consumer Protection Act deals with the manner in which a complaint can be made 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.
Mr. 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 (sic),” 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,” Mr. 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,” Mr. Paswan told reporters in New Delhi.
FSSAI, which comes under the Health Ministry, has taken samples of Maggi noodles from all states for testing.
The Minister said the FSSAI Act provides for a fine of up to Rs. 5 lakh and imprisonment of up to 6 years in case of grievous injury to the consumer, while the imprisonment could be of minimum 7 years and fine of not less than Rs. 10 lakh in case of death.
“I don’t know what will be the outcome of the (FSSAI) reports. If FSSAI reports are found to be positive, it is a very serious issue,” the minister said.
Asked if his Ministry will ask states to ban Maggi, he said: “I cannot ask states to ban. It is a state issue. If states are banning, what can I do?”
On action against brand ambassadors, he said, “It is not about individual. It is about unfair trade practice that is selling substandard products and making false claims in advertisements and misleading consumers.”
» In April, the food regulator of Uttar Pradesh, UP FDA had ordered recall of a batch of about 2 lakh packs of the Maggi instant noodles due to higher than permitted levels of lead and food additives.
» After Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra governments too have sent samples of Maggi to the laboratory for food safety tests.
» On May 29, taking a “serious” note of quality issues related to global giant Nestle’s famous noodle brand Maggi, the government asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to look into the matter. The FSSAI has collected more samples of Maggi from different states for testing.
» Meanwhile, Hindi actors Madhuri Dixit, Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta, who endorse Maggi were served legal notice on the claims made in the advertisement. A complaint was filed in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Barabanki, on May 30, by lawyer Santosh Kumar Singh, saying that by endorsing Maggi the film stars have misled people. The Consumer Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary G Gurucharan says "brand ambassadors would be liable for action if advertisements are found to be misleading.”
» On May 30, Madhuri Dixit tweeted that she met officials of Nestle and the company has reassured that "they adhere to stringent testing for quality and safety and are working with the authorities closely.”
» The same day, the Food Safety and Drug Administration of the U.P. government filed a case against the manufacturing company, Nestle India Ltd., and five others, including the Barabanki store from where samples with excess lead were seized.
» The Uttarakhand Food Safety Department too collected samples of the noodle brand from the company’s plant at Pantnagar in the State.
» Nestle India said it has got tested samples of the noodle brand in an external laboratory as well as in-house and the product has been found “safe to eat” with lead levels within the permissible levels for consumption. The company was, however, silent on presence of the taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG).
» Nestle India's stocks slumped over 10 per cent on Wednesday amid growing concerns about safety standards of its popular Maggi noodles. In a BSE filing, the company said it has not received any order from the central or any state FDA authority for recall of its Maggi noodles.
» State-owned retail outlets in Kerala and Delhi have banned the sale of Maggi. Leading retail chain Big Bazaar has also reportedly taken them off from its shelves.
» Army has issued advisory to its personnel asking them not to eat Maggi noodles and directed its canteens not to sell them till further orders.
Food safety dept to collect milk powder samples
COIMBATORE: The food safety department plans to start collecting samples of Nestle milk powder from Thursday. Three teams will be sent out to Sulur, Ganapathy and Thudiyalur to collect samples of the powder from various stores. This move comes after live larvae was found in a nestle milk powder packet by a city-based taxi driver.
The powder was bought on April 14 by Prem Ananth and his wife. When they mixed a spoon of the milk powder with water and began feeding it to one of their twin babies, they noticed a small worm floating on the surface. "We immediately called up Nestle who sent a representative three days later. But they wanted to test the powder in their own lab which we were not happy with," said Ananth. After another week the powder was given to the food safety department that found it "unsafe" for consumption.
Why pick on Maggi? Experts say other brands are likely no less unsafe
New Delhi: Even as Maggi continues to boil in a soup of its own making, the vital question consumers are asking is: Why does the Government of India allow food manufacturers to sell unsafe products to its citizens?
While, the Delhi government on Wednesday banned the sale of Maggi for 15 days after finding 'high lead content', India needs to look beyond Maggi and conduct a quality check on other brands of noodles and ready-to-eat products like potato chips, soups, etc.
The most popular ready-to-eat noodles brand of India, the '2-Minutes' Maggi became a target of a raging controversy, after the Uttar Pradesh government's food safety department allegedly found high content of lead in the samples of Maggi collected by them a few days back.
Noted consumer activist and founder of the Healthy You Foundation, Bejon Misra told Firstpost, "Some years ago, MSG was found in the samples of Maggi in Jamshedpur, but the packets carried no advisory. A case was registered against the manufacturer. In our country no one is scared of law; cases are registered, offenders get bails and they move on. Had there been strict adherence to safety laws and regulatory authorities followed a strict quality check, such incidents wouldn't happen. Many ready-to-eat products use MSG. The regulatory authorities should check all other ready-to-eat products available in the market besides Maggi, on whether there's MSG or any other additives beyond the permissible limits."
Ashim, Sanyal, COO, Consumer Voice, said, "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. However, it would be a challenge for the government to prove the contamination of lead and excess use of MSG, because the MNCs generally adhere to rigorous policies and testing protocols."
Besides the ethical aspect of the issue, the consumer activists are also not thoroughly convinced with the technical aspects of the tests.
"I'm skeptical about the issue. No one is talking about the technical aspect. The quality of the tests conducted is paramount. The central agency --Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) should have immediately got the testing of Maggi samples done by the NABL accredited labs and its verdict would have been final. Several testing laboratories at state-levels fail to conform to standards. The equipment used by these labs is often not upgraded and not properly calibrated. This leads to variation in results," Sanyal added.
Meanwhile a Nestle India source said, "We had meetings with the Delhi government and we've apprised them with the situation."
But, the Delhi government is apparently not happy with Nestle's explanation.
"We're not happy with Nestle's explanation. More samples have been collected across Delhi and have been sent for testing. Once we get the results, we'll take action as per rules," Delhi's Health Minister Satyendra Kumar Jain said in a press conference.
Even though Maggi continues to dominate the instant noodles market, the entry of multiple brands and the increasing aggression of existing brands have affected Maggi's market share. According to market research reports, Maggi's share across urban market slipped consistently since December 2009 on an all-India basis.
"Due to various players in the market, who too manufacture instant noodles, there has been a decline in Maggi's share in the urban market. As a result, Nestle has begun targeting Tier-III towns and rural India. We get to see new ads promoting Maggi in the rural sector with new strategy to enhance its sales," said Indrajit Deb, an ad and brand professional.
In midst of the growing controversy, the share of Nestle India Ltd has plunged 10%, causing serious concern for the MNC.
Maggi row: Himachal officials collect samples, government promises tough action
A day after Kerala banned the sale of Maggi noodles in govt shops, food safety officials in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday collected samples of the instant noodles from some of the districts including Solan.
Maggi stall in Mussorie.
A day after Kerala banned the sale of Maggi noodles in govt shops, food safety officials in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday collected samples of the instant noodles from some of the districts including Solan.
The samples collected at Solan included those of Maggi noodles, chocolate and some diary products following instructions received from the centre.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Food safety) Vineet Chawdhry said, “Necessary instructions have been passed on to the Directorate of health and food Safety and they are on the job to comply with directions of the GoI. I have been informed about collection of samples, which will be tested as per the prescribed norms “.
Chawdhry said Himachal Pradesh if unsuitable ingredients are found in the samples, strict action will be taken by the government.
Earlier in the day, Food and Civil Supplies Minister G S Bali told media persons that state government was quite alarmed over the reports relating to Maggi noodles.
“I have told Principal Secretary ( Food and supplies) RD Dhiman to write to Additional CS (Health) for taking samples of the maggi noodles and sending these for tests to the labs” he said
Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said the government will not hesitate to take suitable action if the samples doesn’t meet the standards of health safety in Himachal Pardesh.
“I have been receiving calls from the citizens asking for ban but the state will not go for knee-jerk reactions unless we test the samples,” he said.
Parents say no to Maggi, sales dip
A.S.R.P. Mukesh
Marketing executive Kiran Gupta's six-year-old has been throwing a tantrum at mealtimes. But, unlike most times, mum Kiran is being strict and not giving in to pester power.
Maggi, which Kiran's little boy wants, is on the Ranchi working mom's list of grocery untouchables after the whole noodles controversy erupted in May, when Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) found lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) higher than prescribed limits in the product.
On Monday, Union consumer affairs, food and public distribution minister Ram Vilas Paswan said Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was testing Maggi samples.
"The UP food department (UP FSDA) investigated the matter and they found MSG and lead. Now, it has been taken up by the FSSAI and it will investigate further," Paswan told the media.
But, although the FSSAI is supposed to test Maggi samples from many states, Jharkhand state food controller Praveen Chandra denied getting any written directive.
"I have read newspapers about this issue. But, as of now, we haven't got anything in writing from the government of India. So, as far as tests are concerned, nothing is planned at the moment," he told The Telegraph on Monday night.
But, consumers everywhere know that the ubiquitous yellow packet, promising a two-minute meal to generations since the early 1980s, when it was launched in India, is in trouble, as is its owner, food giant Nestle India.
The UP's FSDA has also slapped notices on Bollywood biggies Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta for endorsing Maggi noodles.
"Who will explain to my kid all these complexities?" asked Morabadi resident Kiran. "Everyday, I tell him that the Maggi company has shut down." She has instructed her maid not to buy Maggi for the child in her absence and is stocking up on fruits and ice cream at home to keep the child engaged during his summer vacation.
Lalpur homemaker Kaveri Singh said her two children aged six and eight were also demanding Maggi. "We parents made Maggi a staple due to time constraints. Plus, Maggi was easy to make and affordable too. But, after this controversy, I am giving my children muri (puffed rice) and vegetable juice as snacks."
Many grocery stores and supermarkets in Ranchi said sales of Maggi had dipped in the last 10 days or so. Many have voluntarily stopped stocking the item.
"The day I first read the news, I immediately called up a local sub-distributor to return all packets. We had a heavy daily sale of Maggi but after the news (of extra lead and MSG) broke, we stopped selling them at our outlets in Birsa Chowk and Kadru, replacing them with stocks of other brands," said owner of In & Out, Kushdhwaj Shahdeo.
A sales executive at the Morabadi-based Reliance Fresh added: "We do have some old stocks but they are hardly selling."
Maggi Scare: How Does Lead Get Into Food?
Nestlé India, maker of Maggi 2-Minute Noodles, is embroiled in a food-safety scare after inspectors filed a criminal complaint alleging the product contained dangerously high levels of lead.
The company said Monday that its own tests found the noodles safe to eat. That didn’t stop Delhi from banning the sale of the noodles on Wednesday saying the state’s tests found lead in some samples of the popular snack.
But how does lead, exposure to which causes an estimated 143,000 deaths a yearworldwide, find its way into food?
Industrial emissions, car exhaust and even activities like shooting lead bullets at firing ranges can all put particles of the heavily-toxic metal in the air. For years, lead was added to gasoline until the U.S. banned it as an additive in 1986. By 2011 almost all countries, including India, had phased out leaded gasoline, according to the United Nations Environment Program.
It also gets into the soil and water through lead pipes and lead-based paints. The metal is a stubborn contaminant: it can travel far and it clings to soil and remains in the upper layers of dirt.
According to the United States’ Food and Drug Administration, once it is on food it “cannot always be completely removed by washing or other steps.”
Lead can find its way into everything from fruit juices and baby food to chili powder.
While it’s still unclear how the Maggi noodle samples might have allegedly been contaminated, experts say the way noodles are processed could have theoretically exposed them to lead.
Uday Annapure, an associate professor of the department of food engineering and technology at the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai, said one source of contamination he could imagine was the water used to manufacture the noodles.
While none of the many food additives used in making the wheat noodles support lead, some components of the soup-flavoring packet, such as onion powder and wheat flour, “come from agricultural sources, all vulnerable to lead contamination,” Mr. Annapure said.
Even if the noodles and flavoring were clean, sometimes food can be contaminated by the packaging used. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission saidwrappers were responsible for unsafe levels of lead found in candy produced in Mexico in 2004.
Maggi in thicker soup as samples fail test in Delhi
New Delhi:
Excess Lead Found In 10 Of 13 Packets
Maggi noodles is in trouble in Delhi amid indications that the state government may ban it. A Delhi government spokesman said 10 of 13 samples tested for lead content were found to have amounts higher than permissible limits. Several other states were also testing the product. If Maggi fails these tests, the travails of Nestle, which manufactures the popular noodles, could deepen.
“This falls under the category of misbranding,“ Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said. He added the government has decided to file a case against Nestle for selling an unsafe product and fine it for misbranding.Sources said Nestle officials will be summoned for explanation. When TOI tried to contact Nestle officials, their phones went unanswered.
“Last week, we lifted 13 samples for testing. We found the masala and tastemakers of at least 10 such packets had lead content beyond the prescribed limit of 2.5 ppm,“ Jain said. Five samples were found to contain MSG without label declaration, he said. Meanwhile, a Bihar court on Tuesday ordered the police to lodge an FIR against Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta -brand ambassadors of Nestle India -following a complaint by a lawyer that he fell ill after eating Maggi. Various state governments deployed officials to randomly collect and test Maggi samples. A senior Delhi health official said all existing stocks of Maggi will have to be removed from the market immediately since 80% of samples tested were found to be unfit for human consumption.
The Kerala government pulled out Maggi from its 1,700 Supplyco outlets. Saying the government is yet to ban it, food and civil supplies minister Anoop Jacob said, “We've decided to withdraw the product from our outlets. Random samples of Maggi have been sent for testing by the civil supplies department.“
In Goa, FDA director Jyoti Sardesai said, “We tested samples col lected from the Goa market as well as Nestle factory located in Mauliguem in north Goa. All were found to be of standard quality .“
In Karnataka, the government ordered testing on samples. Health and family welfare minister U T Khader asked officials to conduct tests and submit a report within 48 hours. The minister cited the decision of Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation to withdraw Maggi packs as justification. Karnataka joint director, food safety and standards, H Shivakumar said apart from Maggi, its rival brands like Top Ramen and Surya too would be tested.
Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorities said they have collected Maggi samples from Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur to check for the presence of lead and MSG. FDA commissioner Harshdeep Kamble said test reports would be ready in a couple of days.
Explaining the reason for delay, an FDA official said Maggi does not come under products that have standardized quality checks under the Food Safety and Standards Act.Ingredients milk and edible oil come under that category.
“For products like Maggi that contain a variety of components, including tastemaker, colour, additives, each ingredient has to be tested separately for quality and permissible quantity ,“ the official said.
For the full report, log on to http:www.timesofindia.com
Pacts indemnify celebrity endorsers
`Warranties Are Secured That Products Promoted Are Good, Safe & Legal'
A day after the central government declared that celebrities endorsing products or services would be liable for legal action if the advertisements they figure in were found to be misleading, several actors went back to their contracts to ensure they were insulated against legal troubles.
Bunty Sajdeh, who heads Cornerstone Media that handles the work of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, said he already has a strong contract that indemnifies the stars. Virat is endorsing 12 brands, Shikhar six and Rohit four.
However, star-turned-Trinamool MP Dev said he would like to rework his contract to manufacturer would be answerable and not the person endorsing it. Dev , who endorses seven brands, said, “It's extremely unfortunate that stars are now being dragged into such controversies. When a product is allowed to be sold in India, we expect it to have met standards.“
Sajdeh said that the players' contracts clearly state that it's not possible for stars to check the ingredients used and that they take the word of the manufacturer at face value. He added, “Should anything untoward happen, we have the option of immediately discontinuing the agreement. We also make it clear that in case of any problems, the manufacturers have to handle the lawsuits.“
Contracts for Bollywood stars managed by Yash Raj Films are rock solid. The firm handles works of Rani Mukerji, Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra, Sushant Singh Rajput and Ayushmann Khurrana.Jayesh Kishanchandani, GM, business development, YRF Talent, said that all their endorsement agreements have clauses that protect the artists.
“Through these clauses, the artist gets a warranty from the brand that the products are of good quality and safe for use and comply with all laws of India,“ Kishanchandani said.
Anirban Das Blah, managing partner of CAA Kwan that handles the work of 100 celebrities, including Deepika Padukone, Farhan Akhtar, Shahid Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor, said, “If such things happen, our contract states that the celebrity is as much a victim as a consumer. Besides, we're not investigating agencies. If celebs are being held for false promises, what about our politicians? The buck should stop with the government who gives permission to sell such products.“
FIR against Big B, Madhuri & Preity
A Bihar court on Tuesday ordered police to lodge an FIR against actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta -brand ambassadors of Nestle India -following a complaint filed in the court by a lawyer alleging that he fell ill after eating Maggi. The court asked police to arrest them, if required. Muzaffarpur additional chief judicial magistrate Ramchandra Prasad also ordered the police to name as accused Nestle India's MD Mohan Gupta and joint director Sabab Alam.
TN orders lifting of random samples
Delhi May Ban As Samples Found `Unsafe'
Maggi noodles is in trouble in Delhi amid indications that the state government may move to ban it. A Delhi government spokesman said 10 out of 13 samples tested for lead content were found to have amounts higher than permissible limits. Several other states were also testing the product and if Maggi fails these tests, the travails of Nestle, which manufactures the popular noodles, could deepen.
“This falls under the category of misbranding,“ Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said. He added the government has decided to file a case against Nestle for selling unsafe products and fine it for misbranding Maggi noodles. Sources said Nestle officials will be summoned by the Delhi government for an explanation. When TOI tried to contact Nestle officials, their phones went unanswered.
Meanwhile, the Kerala government pulled out Maggi from its 1,700 Supplyco outlets. Though the government is yet to ban it, food and civil supplies minister Anoop Jacob said, “We've decided to withdraw the product from our outlets. Random samples have been sent for testing by civil supplies department.“
In Goa, FDA director Jyoti Sardesai said, “We tested samples collected from the Goa market as well as Nestle factory located in Mauliguem in north Goa. All were found to be of standard quality.“
In Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the state governments have ordered testing on samples. Maggi, the two-minute gastronomical de light of children, flew off the shelves for the wrong reason on Tuesday .State governments from Delhi to Kerala, and from Tamil Nadu to Haryana, Maharashtra and West Bengal, deployed officials to randomly collect Maggi samples of different batches and dates for testing the safety of its content.
Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said, “Last week, we lifted 13 samples of Maggi for testing following media reports of these being unsafe for consumption. We found the masala samples, tastemakers of at least 10 such packets, had lead content beyond the prescribed limit of 2.5 ppm.“ Jain also said five samples of masala were found containing monosodium glutamate (MSG) without proper label declaration.
A senior Delhi health official said all existing stocks of Maggi will have to be removed from the market immediately since 80% of samples tested were found to be unfit for hu man consumption.
The Tamil Nadu govern ment too issued orders for lift ing random samples of Magg from across the state for labo ratory tests after reports o presence of non-essentia taste enhancer monosodium glutamate and lead above permissible levels.
Packets of Maggi have been taken from several dis tricts across Tamil Nadu “The samples are being col lected for the past two days and the test results would be known later this week,“ said a TN government spokesman
தமிழகத்தில் மேகி நூடுல்சுக்கு தடைவருமா?
சென்னை, ஜூன் 3-
மேகி நூடுல் சுக்கு தடை விதிக்க பல் வேறு மாநி லங் கள் ஆலோ சனை நடத் தி வ ரும் நிலை யில், நூடுல்சை ஆய் வுக்கு அனுப்பி வைக் கப் பட்டுள் ள தாக தமி ழக அர சின் உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை ஆணை யர் குமார் ஜெயந்த் தெரி வித் துள் ளார்.
இந் தி யா வில் சிறி ய வர் முதல் பெரி ய வர் வரை விரும்பி சாப் பி டும் உண வாக மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் உள் ளது. நூடுல் சில் அள வுக்கு அதி க மாக மோனோ சோடி யம் குளூட்டா மேட் என்ற அமினோ அமி லம் சேர்க் கப் பட்டி ருப் ப தாக உத் தி ரப் பிர தேச அர சின் உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை நடத் திய ஆய் வில் தெரி ய வந் தது. உட லுக்கு கேடு விளை விப் ப தாக கூறி, அம் மா நில் அரசு நூடுல்சை தடை செய் தது.
நூடுல்சை தயா ரிக் கும் நிறு வ னத் தின் மீதும் வழக்கு தொட ரப் பட்டது. நூடுல்ஸ் விளம் ப ரத் தில் நடித்த நடி கர் அமி தாப் பச் சன், நடி கை கள் மாதுரி தீட் சித், பிரீத்தி ஜிந்தா ஆகி யோர் மீது நட வ டிக்கை எடுக்க வேண் டும் என எதிர்ப் பு கள் வலுத்து வரு கின் றன.
உத் தி ரப் பிர தே சத்தை தொடர்ந்து கேர ளா வி லும் மேகி நூடுல் சுக்கு தடை விதிக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது. அரி யானா, டெல்லி ஆகிய மாநி லங் கள் நூடுல்சை ஆய்வு செய்து வரு கின் றன. இதே போல் நாடு முழு வ தும் பல் வேறு மாநி லங் களும் நூடுல் சுக்கு தடை விதிக்க ஆலோ சித்து வரு கின் றன. இந் நி லை யில், தமி ழ கத் தில் மேகி நூடுல் சுக்கு தடை விதிக் கப் ப டுமா என்ற கேள்வி எழுந் துள் ளது.
இது கு றித்து, தமி ழக அர சின் உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை ஆணை யர் குமார் ஜெயந் தி டம் கேட்ட போது, ‘‘நாடு முழு வ தும் மேகி நூடுல் சில் அள வுக்கு அதி க மாக நச் சுத் தன்மை இருப் ப தாக செய் தி கள் வெளி வந்து கொண் டி ருக் கி றன. இந் நி லை யில், முன் னெச் ச ரிக்கை நட வ டிக் கை யாக தமி ழ கத் தி லும் கடை களில் விற் கப் ப டும் நூடுல்ஸ் ஆய் வுக்கு அனுப்பி வைக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது. ஆய்வு முடிவு வெளி வந் த தும் மேல் நட வ டிக்கை குறித்து முடி வெ டுக் கப் ப டும் ’’ என் றார்.
மணிமுத்தாறில் பதப்படுத்தப்படாத 56 லிட்டர் பால் பாக்கெட்டுகள் பறிமுதல்
அம்பை, ஜூன் 3:
மணி முத் தா றில் பதப் ப டுத் தப் ப டாத நிலை யில் விநி யோ கிக் கப் பட்ட 56 லிட்டர் தனி யார் பால் பாக் கெட்டு களை உணவு பாது காப்பு அதி காரி பறி மு தல் செய் தார்.
தமிழ் நாடு உண வுப் பாது காப்பு ஆணை யர் குமார் ஜெ யந்த் உத் த ர வின் பேரி லும் மாவட்ட நிய மன அதி காரி கரு ணா க ரன் அறி வு ரை யின் பேரில் அம்பை வட்டார உண வுப் பாது காப்பு அதி காரி நாக சுப் பி ர ம ணி யன் மணி முத் தாறு பகு தி யில் சோத னை யில் ஈடு பட் டார்.
அப் போது அந்த வழி யாக விற் ப னைக் காக தனி யார் பால் பாக் கெட் கொண்டு சென்ற ஆட்டோவை சோத னை யிட்டார். அதில் பதப் ப டுத் தாத நிலை யில் கடை களில் விநி யோ கிப் ப தற் காக கொண்டு செல் லப் பட்ட பால் பாக் கெட்டு கள் இருந் தன. அந்த பாக் கெட்டு களில் இருந்த பாலை பரி சோ தித் த தில் அவை கெட்டுப் போயி ருந் தது. இதை ய டுத்து ஆட்டோ வில் இருந்த சுமார் 56 லிட்டர் தனி யார் பால் பாக் கெட்டு கள் பறி மு தல் செய் யப் பட்டு அழிக் கப் பட்டன. மேலும் பால் பொருட் களை மீண் டும் இது போல் பதப் ப டுத் த பட்ட நிலை யில் இல் லா மல் கொண்டு சென் றால் கடு மை யான நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் க ப டும் என்று எச் ச ரித் தார்.
இது குறித்து அவர் கூறி ய போது, ‘பால் போன்ற உண வுப் பொருட் களை விநி யோ கிப் ப தற் கா கக் கொண்டு செல் லும் போது தயா ரிக் கப் பட்ட இடத் தில் இருந்து வாங் கு வ ரி டம் சேரும் வரை 4 முதல் 8 டிகிரி செல் சி யஸ் வெப்ப நிலை யில் கொண்டு செல்ல வேண் டும்.
அவ் வாறு கொண்டு செல் ல வில்லை என் றால் அந் தப் பொருட் கள் பறி மு தல் செய் யப் ப டும் மேலும் உண வுப் பாது காப் புச் சட்டத் தின் கீழ் தொடர் பு டை ய வர் மீது நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப டும்’ என் றார்.
மணி முத் தா றில் பதப் ப டுத் தப் ப டாத தனி யார் பால் பாக் கெட்டு கள் பறி மு தல் செய்து அழிக் கப் பட்டன.
நெஸ்லே பால்பவுடரில் புழுக்கள்
கோவை, ஜூன் 3:
கோவை யில் விற் பனை செய் யப் பட்ட நெஸ்லே நிறு வ னத் தின் பால் ப வு டர் பாக் கெட்டில் லார்வா புழுக் கள் மற் றும் வண் டு கள் இருந் துள் ளது. இதனை தொடர்ந்து பாதிக் கப் பட்ட வர் நெஸ்லே நிறு வ னம் மீது வழக்கு தொடர முடிவு செய் துள் ளார்.
ேகாவை புலி ய கு ளம் பகு தியை சேர்ந் த வர் பிரேம் ஆனந்த். கால் டாக்சி உரி மை யா ளர். இவ ருக்கு கடந்த ஏப் ரல் மாதம் இரட்டை குழந்தை பிறந் தது. குழந் தை களுக் காக கடந்த ஏப் ரல் 14ம் தேதி கோவை யில் ஒரு கடை யில் நெஸ்லே நிறு வ னத் தின் பால் ப வு டர் டின் வாங் கி யுள் ளார். இந்த பால் ப வு டர் பயன் ப டுத் தும் காலம் 2016 வரை உள் ளது. இதை ஏப் ரல் 15ம் தேதி கலந்து குழந் தை களுக்கு கொடுத் துள் ளார். அப் போது, அதில் புழுக் கள் இருப் பதை பார்த்து அதிர்ச்சி அடைந் துள் ளார். பின் னர், பால் ப வு டரை சோத னைக்கு கொடுத் துள் ளார். கடந்த மே 8ம் தேதி ஆய்வு முடிவு வந் தது. இதில், பால் ப வு டர் சாப் பிட தகு தி யற் றது என வும், அதில் 22 லார்வா புழுக் களும், 28 வண் டு களும் இருப் ப தாக தெரி ய வந் தது.
இது தொடர் பாக பிரேம் ஆனந்த் உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அலு வ ல கத் தில் புகார் அளித் துள் ளார். உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி கள் நெஸ்லே நிறு வ னத் தின் மீது நட வ டிக்கை எடுக்க வேண் டும் என தெரி வித் துள் ளார். மேலும், இந்த விவ கா ரம் தொடர் பாக நெஸ்லே மற் றும் விற் பனை செய்த கடை மீது நுகர் வோர் நீதி மன் றத் தில் வழக்கு போட முடிவு செய் யப் பட்டுள் ள தாக பிரேம் ஆனந்த் தெரி வித் துள் ளார்.
மேலும், புகார் கொடுக் கப் பட்ட நெஸ்லே பாக் கெட் சீரி யல் எண் களை வைத்து அது எந் த தெந்த பகு தி களில் விற் பனை செய் யப் பட்டு இருக் கி றது, விற் ப னைக்கு வைக் கப் பட்டு இருக் கி றது என் பது தொடர் பாக உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி கள் ஆய்வு மேற் கொண்டு வரு கின் ற னர்.
நெஸ்லே நிறு வ னத் தின் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் விவ கா ரம் நாடு முழு வ தும் சூடு பி டித் துள்ள நிலை யில் கோவை யில் நெஸ்லே நிறு வ னத் தின் பால் ப வு டர் மீது புகார் தெரி விக் கப் பட்டு இருப் பது பெரும் பர ப ரப்பை ஏற் ப டுத் தி யுள் ளது.
நெஸ்லே பால்பவுடரில் உயிருடன் புழுக்கள்: கோவை பரிசோதனையில் அதிர்ச்சித் தகவல்
மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் விவகாரத்தில் சிக்கித் தவிக்கும் நெஸ்லே நிறுவனத்தின் பால்பவுடரில் உயிருடன் புழுக்கள் இருப்பது பரிசோதனையில் தெரியவந்துள்ளது.
கேப் டிரைவர் ஒருவர் கொண்டு வந்து கொடுத்த நெஸ்லேயின் நேன் புரோ3 பால்பவுடரை பரிசோதனை செய்ததில் அதில் உயிருடன் புழுக்கள் இருந்தது தெரியவந்தது.
கோவையில் உள்ள உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு பிரிவின் மருந்து பரிசோதனை மையத்தின் முதற்கட்ட சோதனையில் நெஸ்லேயின் நேன் புரோ3 பால்பவுடரில் நுண்புழுக்கள் இருப்பது தெரியவந்துள்ளது.
மேலும் உயிருடன் நுண் புழுக்கள் இருப்பதாலும், நுகர்வதற்கான தரநிலைகளின் தேவையை பால்பவுடர் பூர்த்தி செய்யவில்லை என்பதாலும் அது பாதுகாப்பற்றது என்று பெயர் கூற விரும்பாத அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்தனர்.
சாம்பிளைக் கொடுத்த கேப் டிரைவர் தன் குழந்தை நெஸ்லே பால்பவுடரை எடுத்துக் கொண்ட பிறகு தோல் ஒவ்வாமை ஏற்பட்டதையடுத்து பரிசோதனைக்கு அளித்துள்ளார்.
எனினும், இது குறித்து, அரசின் உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பு பரிசோதனை மையத்திலிருந்து ஒட்டுமொத்தமான, விரிவான அறிக்கை வருவதற்காக தாங்கள் காத்திருப்பதாக அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்தனர்.
உ.பியை தொடர்ந்து கேரளாவில் தடை மேகி நூடுல்சுக்கு நாடு முழுக்க எதிர்ப்பு ஆபத்தானது என டெல்லி அரசு அறிவிப்பு
புது டெல்லி, ஜூன் 3:
நெஸ்லே இந் தியா நிறு வ னத் தின் தயா ரிப் பான மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் இந் தி யா வின் குழந் தை களும், பெரி ய வர் களும் விரும்பி சாப் பி டும் உண வுப் பொரு ளாக இருந்து வரு கி றது. இதில், நிர் ண யிக் கப் பட்ட அளவை விட மோனோ சோடி யம் குளூட்டா மேட் என்ற அமினோ அமி லம் சேர்க் கப் பட்டி ருப் ப தாக உத் த ரப் பிர தேச மாநில அர சின் உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி கள் நடத் திய ஆய் வில் தெரி ய வந் தது. இதன் கார ண மாக மேகி நூடுல்சை சாப் பி டு வ தால் உடல் நலத் துக்கு கேடு விளை யும் என் ப தால் உத் த ரப் பிர தேச அரசு தடை விதித் த து டன், நெஸ்லே நிறு வ னத் துக்கு எதி ராக நீதி மன் றத் தில் வழக் கும் தொட ரப் பட்டது.
மேலும், மேகி நூடுல் சின் விளம் ப ரத் தில் நடித்த நடிகை மாதுரி தீட் சித் துக்கு விளக் கம் கேட்டு நோட்டீஸ் அனுப் பப் பட்டது. இதற் கி டையே, மத் திய உணவு பாது காப்பு மற் றும் தர ஆணை யம் இவ் வி வ கா ரத் தில் தனி கவ னம் செலுத்தி பல் வேறு மாநி லங் களி லும் மாதி ரி கள் எடுத்து ஆய்வு நடத்தி வரு கி றது. இதன் முடி வு கள் இன் னும் ஓரிரு நாட் களில் தெரி ய வ ரும் என அறி வித் தி ருந் தது.
இந் நி லை யில், கேரளா உள் ளிட்ட பல் வேறு மாநில அர சு கள் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் விற் ப னைக்கு நேற்று தடை விதித் தன. கேர ளா வின் உணவு மற் றும் நுகர் வோர் பாது காப்பு துறை அமைச் சர் அனூப் ஜேக் கப், ‘பாது காப்பு கார ணங் களுக் காக மேகி நூடுல் சுக்கு தற் கா லி க மாக தடை விதிக் கப் ப டு கி ற து’ என் றார். அரி யா னா வில் பல் வேறு மாவட்டங் களி லும் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் மாதி ரி களை எடுத்து ஆய்வு செய்ய அரி யானா மாநில அரசு உத் த ர விட்டுள் ளது. இதே போல கர் நா டக மாநில அர சும், மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் மாதி ரி களை ஆய்வு செய்ய உத் த ர விட்டுள் ளது. இந்த விவ கா ரம் தொடர் பாக உயர் நிலை கூட்டத் தில் ஆலோ சனை நடத்தி இன்று முடிவு எடுக் கப் ப டும் என மேற்கு வங்க உணவு பாது காப்பு துறை அறி வித் துள் ளது.
இதற் கி டையே, டெல்லி மாநில அர சும் மேகி நூடுல் சின் தரம் குறித்து அறிய 13 பாக் கெட்டு களை வைத்து ஆய் வக சோதனை நடத் தி யது. இதில், மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் ஆபத் தா னது என கண் ட றி யப் பட்டுள் ள தாக டெல்லி அரசு வட்டா ரங் கள் தெரி வித் துள் ளன. ஏற் க னவே உத் த ர பி ர தே சம், கேரளா மாநி லத் தில் மேகி நூடுல் சுக்கு தடை விதிக் கப் பட்டுள் ள தால், நாடு முழு வ தும் அதன் விற் ப னைக்கு தடை விதிக் கப் ப டும் நிலை ஏற் பட்டுள் ளது.
ஆனா லும், நெஸ்லே நிறு வ னம் இந்த குற் றச் சாட்டு களை மறுத் துள் ளது. ‘மேகி நூடுல் சில் அனு ம திக் கப் பட்ட அள வில் தான் வேதிப் பொ ருட் கள் கலக் கப் பட்டுள் ளன. இது தொடர் பான ஆய் வில், மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் தர மா னது என கண் டு பி டிக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது. உணவு பாது காப்பு விதி களுக் குட் பட்டு மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் தயா ரிக் கப் பட்டு வரு கி ற து’ என அந் நி று வ னம் விளக் க ம ளித் துள் ளது.
அமி தாப், மாதுரி, ப்ரீத்தி மீது வழக்கு பதிவு செய்ய உத் த ரவு
மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் விளம் ப ரத் தில் நடி கர் அமி தாப் பச் சன், நடி கை கள் மாதுரி தீட் சித், ப்ரீத்தி ஜிந்தா ஆகி யோர் வெவ் வேறு கால கட்டங் களில் நடித் துள் ள னர். விளம் பர தூதர் க ளான இவர் கள் மீதும் நட வ டிக்கை எடுக்க வேண் டு மென எதிர்ப் பு கள் வலுத்து வரு கின் றன.
இதற் கி டையே பீகா ரின் முசார் பூர் மாவட்ட நீதி மன் றத் தில் வக் கீல் சுதிர் கு மார் ஓஜா என் ப வர் தாக் கல் செய்த மனு வில், ‘கடந்த 30ம் தேதி மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் சாப் பிட்ட தில் எனக்கு உடல் நலக் கு றைவு ஏற் பட்டது. எனவே, நெஸ்லே நிறு வ னத் தின் நிர் வாக இயக் கு னர் மோகன் குப்தா, இணை இயக் கு னர் சபாப் ஆலம் மற் றும் விளம் பர தூதர் க ளான நடி கர் அமி தாப் பச் சன், நடி கை கள் மாதுரி தீட் சித், ப்ரீத்தி ஜிந்தா ஆகி யோர் வழக்கு மீது நட வ டிக்கை எடுக்க வேண் டும்’ என கூறி யி ருந் தார்.
இந்த வழக்கை நேற்று விசா ரித்த நீதி பதி ராம் சந் திர பிர சாத், ‘காஜி முக மத் பூர் போலீ சார் சம் பந் தப் பட்ட நிறு வ னத் தின் இயக் கு னர் கள், பாலி வுட் நட் சத் தி ரங் கள் மீது வழக்கு பதிய வேண் டும். விசா ர ணைக்கு தேவைப் பட்டால் அவர் களை கைதும் செய் ய லாம்’ என உத் த ர விட்டார். இந்த உத் த ரவு பெறும் பர ப ரப்பை ஏற் ப டுத்தி உள் ளது.
Jun 2, 2015
மேகி நூடுல்சை தடை செய்ய கெஜ்ரிவால் பரிசீலனை
புதுடில்லி: மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் தரமற்றது என ஆய்வின் மூலம் தெரியவந்துள்ளதாக டில்லி அரசு அறிவித்துள்ளது. இதனையடுத்து, இது குறித்து விவாதிக்க நாளை ஆலோசனை கூட்டம் நடைபெற உள்ளது. இதில் நெஸ்லே நிறுவன அதிகாரிகளும் கலந்து கொள்ள உத்தரவிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனிடையே, மேகி நூடுல்சிற்கு தடை விதிக்க கெஜ்ரிவால் அரசு பரிசீலனை செய்து வருகிறது.
மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் தரமற்றது: டில்லி அரசு அறிவிப்பு
புதுடில்லி: மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் தரமற்றது என டில்லி அரசு கூறியுள்ளது. இது குறித்து நடந்த ஆய்வக சோதனை முடிவை, முதல்வரின் ஆலோசகர் அறிவித்துள்ளார்.
10 out of 13 Maggi samples found to have high quantities of lead in Delhi
New Delhi: Maggi Noodles failed Delhi government’s test as 10 out of 13 Maggi samples obtained for study are found to have contained high quantities of lead.
The government is mulling to form a committee to decide on future course of action.
Not only Delhi, Kerala and Karnataka also acted against the snack. Kerala government today issued an order to temporarily stop distribution of Maggi noodles from over 1,000 retail outlets in the state in the wake of Uttar Pradesh FSDA finding monosodium glutamate and lead above permissible limits in the popular snack.
State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob's office said an order had been issued to temporarily stop the distribution of Maggi noodles from its retail outlets in the state fortwith till the veracity of the dispute is resolved.
The Karnataka government also ordered random lifting of samples of Maggi noodles from across the state for laboratory testing after allegations of lapses in food safety standards came to the fore.
"We have directed officials to randomly lift the samples of Maggi noodles from the (manufacturing) units and retail shops, across the state for laboratory testing...," Health Minister U T Khader told PTI over phone from Mangaluru.
He said there were four Maggi manufacturing units in the state.
He also said the collected samples would be sent to national-level laboratory units situated in Mysuru and another private laboratory in Bengaluru.
"If need be, we will send the samples to laboratories situated in other states - that could include Kerala. However, we have not taken any decision on it," he added.
Khader said he has directed his officials to submit a report as early as possible.
"... they may take two to three days, let us see," he said.
Asked whether the government would take stringent action against the company if found guilty, he replied, "In that case, the law will take its own course, but I will take a decision once I go through the report."
Maggi noodles came under the scanner last month after the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration asked Nestle India to withdraw a batch of the noodles "which were manufactured in February 2014" after it found presence of non-essential taste enhancer monosodium glutamate and high levels of lead in the samples.
The Centre has also asked central food safety regulator FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) to test samples of the noodles from all states.
Maggi samples found unsafe: Delhi government
The noodle brand, manufactured by Nestle, is facing cases in Uttar Pradesh related to food safety standards
The Delhi government on Tuesday said samples of Maggi noodles were found unsafe.
Delhi government spokesperson Nagendra Sharma said the samples had been sent to lab for testing.
"Lab testing reports show Maggi samples found unsafe in national capital: Delhi govt," Sharma tweeted.
The noodle brand, manufactured by multi-national company Nestle, is facing cases in Uttar Pradesh related to food safetystandards.
Kerala Government Pulls Out Maggi Noodles From State-Run Outlets
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala government today issued an order to temporarily stop distribution of Maggi noodles from over 1,000 retail outlets in the state in the wake of Uttar Pradesh FSDA finding monosodium glutamate and lead above permissible limits in the popular snack.
State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob's office said an order had been issued to temporarily stop the distribution of Maggi noodles from its retail outlets in the state fortwith till the veracity of the dispute is resolved.
Kerala State Civil Supplies corporation, also known as Supplyco, has around 1,400 outlets throughout the state.
The Centre had made it clear yesterday that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is testing more Maggi samples collected from different states following the detection of monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in the noodles.
Maggi row: Karnataka government orders random lifting of samples for test
The Karnataka government on Tuesday ordered random lifting of samples of Maggi noodles from across the state for laboratory testing after allegations of lapses in food safety standards came to the fore.
The Karnataka government on Tuesday ordered random lifting of samples of Maggi noodles from across the state for laboratory testing after allegations of lapses in food safety standards came to the fore.
"We have directed officials to randomly lift the samples of Maggi noodles from the (manufacturing) units and retail shops, across the state for laboratory testing...," Health Minister UT Khader told PTI over phone from Mangaluru.
He said there were four Maggi manufacturing units in the state. He also said the collected samples would be sent to national-level laboratory units situated in Mysuru and another private laboratory in Bengaluru.
"If need be, we will send the samples to laboratories situated in other states - that could include Kerala. However, we have not taken any decision on it," he added. Khader said he has directed his officials to submit a report as early as possible.
"... they may take two to three days, let us see," he said.
Asked whether the government would take stringent action against the company if found guilty, he replied, "In that case, the law will take its own course, but I will take a decision once I go through the report."
Maggi noodles came under the scanner last month after the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration asked Nestle India to withdraw a batch of the noodles "which were manufactured in February 2014" after it found presence of non-essential taste enhancer monosodium glutamate and high levels of lead in the samples.
The Centre has also asked central food safety regulator FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) to test samples of the noodles from all states.
After Maggi row over Gujarat firm’s salt being supplied to Bastar tribals
RAIPUR: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Chhattisgarh government's "Amrit salt" scheme, opposition Congress has raised questions over the quality of salt being supplied to tribals in Bastar by a Gujarat firm, which allegedly did not have mandatory license and certification from The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
"The salt being supplied to tribals of Bastar did not mention FSSAI license number and details of nutrition contents and it mention a license date of 15-5-1990. Food Safety and Standards Act came in 2006 and its rules were framed in 2011", Chhattisgarh state Congress president Bhupesh Baghel and former food minister Mohammad Akbar said at a press conference on Tuesday.
The Congress leaders displayed to the media packets of all popular brands of salt available in the market and the packets of salt being supplied under Chhattisgarh government's Amit Namak scheme to drive home their point that the salt packets, being supplied by a firm based at Gandhidham, Gujarat, did not contain details as required under the provisions of Food Safety Standards Act.
"Now, celebrities who had endorsed Maggi instant noodles are now facing criticism. During his visit to Bastar on May nine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had praised state BJP government's "Amrit Namak" scheme," Baghel said adding that the state government purchase salt worth about Rs 72 crore every year to distribute it to tribals free of cost.
Pointing out that even in the past this salt has failed quality tests and state-corruption bureau was also probing into the deals, the Congress leaders demanded that the existing stock of salt be sealed and sent for testing to verify its quality standards. They said the registration number and date mentioned on these salt packets was not in conformity with the provisions of FSSA, 2006 and manufacture, sale and supply of such items with proper license is an offence under the Act.
Demanding a probe and action into the matter, Congress leaders said state's food minister and chairman and top officials of state civil supplies corporation, which is procuring salt for distribution, are liable to face action under the provisions of the Act.
State's Food and civil supplies minister Punnulal Mohile could not be reached for his comments.
WB govt to decide on Maggi controversy tomorrow
The West Bengal Food Department has convened a high-level meeting tomorrow to take a view on the ongoing controversy surrounding Maggi noodles, the government said.
"Tomorrow we have convened a high-level meeting of senior official of the food department with all the reports. After going through everything and discussing elaborately, we will take a call on the matter," state's Food Supplies minister Jyotirmoy Mullick told PTI.
Asked if the state government was planning to send Maggi samples for laboratory testing, Mullick said, "The tests are not possible as Maggi doesn't have any manufacturing unit here.
"All Maggi products come from other states, so we are seeing what can be done about the food that is already available in the market. We have to see how much can be done about the products found in private market".
The Union Consumer Affairs Ministry yesterday said the central food safety regulator (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) is testing samples from all states and that strict action will be taken for any violation.
All test reports are expected to come within two to three days.
Maggi sales plummet across India
MUMBAI: Maggi noodle sales have been hit hard ever since it was revealed that a sample tested for quality by a government agency about two weeks back contained monosodium glutamate (MSG) and lead beyond permissible levels. The brand from Swiss foods major Nestle, which is synonymous with noodles in India, has therefore also witnessed a severe dent in its popularity and image.
Modern retailers say the impact could be in the range of 15-20% in large metros, but what makes matters worse for Nestle is that the general trade appears to be against stocking the brand given the decline in sales from regular consumers. Maggi, which clocks around Rs 1500 crore annually, contributes a significant portion of Nestle's total business in India. What's more a Mumbai-based retailer feels since Maggi is generic to the noodles category the controversy could impact sales of the entire category, which includes similar products sold by its competitors.
TOI spoke to a large number of distributors, stockers, retailers and consumers from across major cities to gauge the impact on sales and consumer behaviour on Monday and most of them seemed worried.
In many departmental stores in Bengaluru, sales are down 40% during the last fortnight. "It is probably a matter of time that Maggi will sell again. For now the fear has hit parents since it involves children,'' said Ravishankar R, a store manager in Bengaluru. Some retailers estimate the impact could be bigger. Anup Acharya, the manager at Foodhall, a department store in Bengaluru, said Maggi sales are down as much as 60%.
A Kolkata distributor said sales have dropped over 30% in last few days, but a top official of the chain said the drop was not significant in the first two weeks. At Anand Stores in Kolkata's New Market that usually sells five-six cartons (each carton contains 48 packets) of the 2-minute noodles snack, there has been virtually no sale in the past seven days. "We've barely sold six packets of Maggi instead of 280-plus packets a week. Earlier Maggi would be a must item on a mother's shopping list. Now, it has been struck off," said Rabi Roy of Anand Stores.
Distributors of the brand in Ahmedabad said their orders have fallen by 5-10% over the last one week. They, however, expect the situation to become clearer in the first week of June, since most of the big stores and super markets order stocks for a month. A distributor of Nestle products, said. ``We saw a slight decline in orders from small provision stores which place orders weekly." Similarly executives at supermarkets in Ahmedabad said that they saw 5-10% decline in retail sales.
As social media went abuzz, sales of Maggi began to dip with rising consumer concerns. "I am shocked that a brand that was a children's favourite has been cheating them," said Usha Jagadeesh, who was browsing the section at a Big Bazaar outlet in Bengaluru. "I am now scared to give Maggi to my children, who enjoy it. I used to give it to them at least twice or thrice a week but now, I have switched over to another brand," she added.
Bina Ahmad, mother of an eight year old who purchased mega packs of Maggi earlier which the entire family loved to gorge on, is unwilling to risk instant noodles unless they are tested. She though admitted that she was having a tough time convincing her son to have alternative snacks items.
"My kids are big fans of Maggi, but after the ongoing controversy I am not allowing my kids or any other family member to eat it,'' said Meera Gupta, a housewife from Jaipur.
In Mumbai, a group of male paying guests staying together in Malad raid the mall counter for various brands of noodles regularly. Most young men who leave home to study or work in another city are taught to prepare tea, eggs and noodles, says Ashraf Khan who cooks for the group often. He says,``We buy brands of noodles which offer good discounts, say three packs for the price of two. Now we make sure to not buy Maggi.''
Local vendors and shopkeepers in Lucknow claim that sale of Maggi has gone down significantly in the past week. Amrit Lal, an owner of a departmental store at Jopling Road, said: "It has been over a week now that there has been not a single customer asking for Maggi". It has also affected sales of other Nestle products like tomato ketchup and soups, Lal added. In Lucknow, even city malls appear to be cagey about stocking the brand. Gurjeet from a super market in Hazratganj, said, "We have returned the entire stock to the vendor as now no one is asking for it".
In Uttarakhand, where the 2-minute noodle is a popular snack among tourists and trekkers, demand has plummeted. Dhaba owners said many tourists now prefer paranthas and other alternatives. "Earlier, I used to sell around 40-60 packets of Maggi around this time of the year due to the heavy rush of travellers going towards hill stations like Mussoorie. But things have changed over last week. I'm hardly able to sell 15-20 Maggi packets a day," said Saneev Rawat, a shop owner in the city. Ajay Puri, president of the Hotels Association of Uttarkashi says that the controversy has hit many dhaba owners and small restaurateurs.
As against 9,600 small Maggi noodle packs a week, a grocer in Pune's Koregaon Park said sales have now dropped by around 50%. A dealer in Raipur said the brand's sales have dropped by nearly 40% and retailers are not placing more orders apprehending a possible ban on the product.
Shopkeepers in Chandigarh too complain of a considerable drop in the sale. "There is a decrease of 70%-80% in the sale of Maggi in my shop,''said Rajnish Luthra, a Zirakpur shopkeeper. Vineet Batra, owner of Mani Ram Balwant Rai, one of the big wholesalers in Ludhiana, said, "Maggi sales have gone down by more than 50%. People are reluctant to buy it now."
In Bhopal, sales have dropped by more than 50%. Lakshman Ahuja, proprietor of Ahuja Proteins, city's biggest general store said, "Only 25% of the rolling stock is being sold. Generally, students buy 5-10 packets at a time but we have sold no Maggi packets on Monday. This has never happened."
In Guwahati, too, the news on the food safety of Maggi has had a negative effect in dealer sales. "Parents have stopped their kids from having Maggi. Sales have decreased by around 40%," said Mithun Dey, a dealer in Ulubari in Guwahati.
The story is no different in Hyderabad. "I run a kirana store in the Ameerpet area and I can see that even my regular customers, who used to buy Maggie on a daily basis, are no longer buying it. It's surprising because Ameerpet is an area where a lot of students and bachelors reside. Even these people are shunning Maggi now," said K Santosh, the owner of a kirana store. A manager of Ratnadeep Supermarket chain at Somajiguda area of Hyderabad, said: "We have not ordered any new stocks in the last eight days. This news has not just affected Maggi sales, but has also hit sales of other instant noodles brands.''
Describing the lack of stock movement at his shop, Rajendra Pareek of the Jai Bharat General Store in Raja Park, Jaipur, said: "There is steep decline in sales of Maggi at my shops. Earlier, we had to refill our stock twice a month, however, this time our shelves are packed.'' Another Jaipur retailer, Ravi Gupta, Gupta Store, Mansarovar said Maggi sales have come down by 30%.
Chennai seems to be the only city to buck the trend. Two Nestle distributors in Chennai said they have not heard or observed any impact in the sale of Maggi among the retailers network they serve.
In a media statement, a Nestle India spokesperson said on Monday: "We understand that consumers are concerned by reports that the authorities in Uttar Pradesh have found elevated levels of lead in a sample pack of Maggi noodles. We are fully cooperating with the authorities who are conducting further tests and we are awaiting their results.''
Nestle India has submitted Maggie noodles samples from almost 600 product batches to an external laboratory for independent analysis and the company tested samples from almost 1,000 batches at its laboratory. "These samples represent around 125 million packets. All the results of these internal and external tests show that lead levels are well within the limits specified by food regulations and that Maggi noodles are safe to eat. We are sharing these results with the authorities,'' the spokesperson said while adding, the company regularly monitors all its raw material for lead, including testing by accredited laboratories "which have consistently shown levels in Maggi noodles to be within permissible limits''.
Samples of Maggie noodles collected for test
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.
மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் தரம் குறித்த ஆய்வு கோவையில் 6 இடங்களில் மாதிரி சேகரிப்பு
கோைவ, ஜூன் 2:
தமி ழ கம் முழு வ தும் உண வு பா து காப்பு துறை யி னர் சார் பில் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் தொடர் பான ஆய்வு நடந் துள் ளது. இதில், கோவை யில் 6 இடங் களில் நூடுல்ஸ் மாதி ரி களை அதி கா ரி கள் சேக ரித் துள் ள னர்.
நெஸ்லே இந் தியா நிறு வ னத் தின் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் களில் மனித உட லுக்கு கேடு வி ளை விக் கும் வேதிப் பொ ருள் இருப் பதை உத் த ரப் பி ர தேச மாநி லத் தில் அம் மா நில உணவு பாது காப் புத் துறை அதி கா ரி கள் நடத் திய ஆய் வில் தெரி ய வந் தது.
இதை தொடர்ந்து உத் த ர காண்ட் மாநி லத் தி லும் ஆய்வு நடத் தப் பட்டு மாதி ரி கள் சேக ரிக் கப் பட்டு ஆய் வுக்கு அனுப் பப் பட்டுள் ளது.
இந் நி லை யில், மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் விவ கா ரம் தொடர் பாக தனிக் க வ னம் செலுத்த இந் திய உண வுப் பா து காப்பு மற் றும் தர ஆணை யத் துக்கு மத் திய உணவு மற் றும் நுகர் வோர் விவ கா ரத் துறை உத் த ர விட்டுள் ளது.
இந்த உத் த ரவை தொடர்ந்து நாடு முழு வ தும் உண வுப் பா து காப்பு துறை அதி கா ரி கள் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் மாதி ரி களை சேக ரித்து வரு கின் ற னர். அதன் படி, நேற்று தமி ழ கத் தி லும் மேகி நூடுல்ஸ் மாதி ரி கள் கைப் பற் றப் பட்டு ஆய் வுக்கு அனுப் பப் பட்டுள் ளது.
இதில், கோவை மாவட்டத் தில் நேற்று நடத் தப் பட்ட ஆய் வில் ஆறு இடங் களில் நூடுல் ஸின் மாதி ரி கள் சேக ரிக் கப் பட்டுள் ளது. இந்த மாதி ரி கள் தற் போது ஆய் வுக்கு அனுப் பப் பட்டுள் ள தாக அதி கா ரி கள் தெரி வித் த னர்.
ஆய்வு முடி வு கள் 15 நாட் களில் வரும் என எதிர் பார்க் கப் ப டு கி றது. இதன் பிறகு மேகி நூடு லஸ் விற் பனை குறித்து நட வ டிக்கை எடுக் கப் ப ட வுள் ளது.
Latest developments in row over Maggi's food safety
After samples of “Maggi” noodles manufactured in March 2014 were reportedly found to contain high lead content and Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), the instant noodles brand in under scrutiny by various state governments and Union Consumer Affairs Ministry.
| 1 | In April, the food regulator of Uttar Pradesh, UP FDA had ordered recall of a batch of about 2 lakh packs of the Maggi instant noodles due to higher than permitted levels of lead and food additives. |
| 2 | After Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra governments too sent samples of Maggi to the laboratory for food safety tests. |
| 3 | On May 29, taking a “serious” note of quality issues related to global giant Nestle’s famous noodle brand Maggi, the government asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to look into the matter. |
| 4 | Meanwhile, Hindi actors Madhuri Dixit, Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta, who endorse Maggi were served legal notice on the claims made in the advertisement. |
| 5 | On May 30, Madhuri Dixit tweeted that she met officials of Nestle and the company has reassured that "they adhere to stringent testing for quality and safety and are working with the authorities closely.” |
| 6 | The same day, the Food Safety and Drug Administration of the U.P. government filed a case against the manufacturing company, Nestle India Ltd., and five others, including the Barabanki store from where samples with excess lead were seized. |
| 7 | A complaint was filed in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Barabanki, on May 30, against cine stars Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta for endorsing Maggi noodles. The complaint, filed by lawyer Santosh Kumar Singh, says that by endorsing Maggi the film stars have misled people. |
| 8 | The Uttarakhand Food Safety Department too collected samples of the noodle brand from the company’s plant at Pantnagar in the State. |
| 9 | The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has collected more samples of Maggi from different states for testing. |
| 10 | The Consumer Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary G Gurucharan says "brand ambassadors would be liable for action if advertisements are found to be misleading.” |
| 11 | Nestle India said it has got tested samples of the noodle brand in an external laboratory as well as in-house and the product has been found “safe to eat” with lead levels within the permissible levels for consumption. The company was, however, silent on presence of the taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG). |
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