Food regulator orders testing of other noodle brands
9 Jun 2015 11:29 PM GMT
With the Maggi controversy raising serious health concerns, food safety regulator FSSAI on Monday ordered testing of noodles, pastas and macaroni brands such as Top Ramen, <g data-gr-id="28">Foodles</g> and Wai Wai sold and manufactured by seven companies to check compliance of norms.
In a letter to Commissioners of Food Safety of all States and UTs, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked them to test samples of noodles, pastas and macaroni (with tastemaker) on a set of comprehensive parameters. Cake and masala/tastemaker should be tested separately.
The states and Union Territories have been asked to submit reports by June 19.
"Various test results on Maggi and some other similar products have raised serious health concerns. In view of the same, it would be advisable to draw regulatory samples for similar products for which product approvals have been granted by the FSSAI... These samples should be sent to the authorised labs for testing," FSSAI CEO YS Malik said in the letter.
The letter follows FSSAI order on Friday banning all variants of Nestle India's Maggi noodles terming them as "unsafe and hazardous" for human consumption.
Nestle India recalled Maggi from the markets after several states banned the famous '2-minute' instant food brand as tests showed that it contained taste enhancer MSG (Monosodium glutamate) and lead in excess of the permissible limits.
As per FSSAI order, the companies whose products have been listed for testing are Nestle India, ITC, Indo Nissin Food Ltd, GSK Consumer Healthcare, CG Foods India, Ruchi International and AA Nutrition Ltd.Â
Decision on damages to depend on FSSAI report: Govt on Maggi
 Having dragged Nestle to NCDRC over Maggi issue, the government on Monday said it will decide on the damages to be sought from the company after taking into account inputs from the food safety regulator FSSAI. "The Department of Consumer Affairs made a reference to the NCDRC in this matter. Now after getting all details and reports from FSSAI, the next course of action will be to file a formal complaint in NCDRC," the new Consumer Affairs Secretary C Viswanath said. Last week, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan had announced that the government has filed a complaint on its own with the NCDRC, using a provision for the first time from the nearly three-decade-old Consumer Protection Act.
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