Nutrients disappear instantly from noodles
19 Oct 2012 8:55 AM IST
A consumer research organisation has come out with shocking data about popular noodle brands in the country. The Consumer Education and Research Society [CERS] recently tested the nutrition levels of 15 popular instant noodle brands across the country, in a series of tests, for some important nutrition parameters.
The Indian market for instant noodle stands at about Rs 1,000 crore. While easily impressionable kids are mainly targeted, noodles are now being promoted across all age groups as a healthy snacking option.
The 15 brands tested included Maggi, Top Ramen, Knorr, Ching’s Secret, Sunfeast Yippee!, Foodles, Tasty Treat and Wai Wai X-press. The results showed that none of the brands were able to substantiate their tall claims of being healthy snacking option when interpreted against Food Standards Agency [FSA] of UK standards for fats and sodium. Some of the common findings for most of the samples tested included high level of sodium, significantly low fibre content, high amount of fat and several other shocking factors.
The brands that claimed ‘healthy’, ‘wholesome’, ‘enriched with proteins and iron’ and ‘full of fibre’, were refuted by the test findings as going way above the safe limit of several harmful elements.
Though there are no specific Indian Standards to check the level of nutrition when it comes to instant noodles, CERS conducted the tests for basic parameters that included total ash, moisture level, acid insoluble ash, fat, crude fibre, proteins, sodium, calcium, iron, carbohydrate, and energy. During these tests, the labeling information on each of the samples was checked against the regulations laid down by Food Safety and Standards [packaging & labeling] Regulations, 2011.
CERS has recommended several actions through which the government can force the instant noodle manufacturers to improve their product and safeguard the health of the consumers. Some of these recommendations include suggestions such as the Food Safety and Standards authorities take note of the salt minimisation efforts put forth by UK FSA and compel manufacturers to reduce the sodium levels. The consumer body has also suggested stringent norms for packaging wherein manufacturers highlight the content of their products explicitly, making it easier for the consumer to notice.
CERS has recommended that Advertising Standards Council of India [ASCI] implement stricter conditions forcing manufacturers to refrain from making false claims to innocent consumers
CERS had sent out the results of each brand to its respective manufacturer seeking clarification about the alarming results. However, none of the manufacturers responded to the queries raised by CERS.
The Indian market for instant noodle stands at about Rs 1,000 crore. While easily impressionable kids are mainly targeted, noodles are now being promoted across all age groups as a healthy snacking option.
The 15 brands tested included Maggi, Top Ramen, Knorr, Ching’s Secret, Sunfeast Yippee!, Foodles, Tasty Treat and Wai Wai X-press. The results showed that none of the brands were able to substantiate their tall claims of being healthy snacking option when interpreted against Food Standards Agency [FSA] of UK standards for fats and sodium. Some of the common findings for most of the samples tested included high level of sodium, significantly low fibre content, high amount of fat and several other shocking factors.
The brands that claimed ‘healthy’, ‘wholesome’, ‘enriched with proteins and iron’ and ‘full of fibre’, were refuted by the test findings as going way above the safe limit of several harmful elements.
Though there are no specific Indian Standards to check the level of nutrition when it comes to instant noodles, CERS conducted the tests for basic parameters that included total ash, moisture level, acid insoluble ash, fat, crude fibre, proteins, sodium, calcium, iron, carbohydrate, and energy. During these tests, the labeling information on each of the samples was checked against the regulations laid down by Food Safety and Standards [packaging & labeling] Regulations, 2011.
CERS has recommended several actions through which the government can force the instant noodle manufacturers to improve their product and safeguard the health of the consumers. Some of these recommendations include suggestions such as the Food Safety and Standards authorities take note of the salt minimisation efforts put forth by UK FSA and compel manufacturers to reduce the sodium levels. The consumer body has also suggested stringent norms for packaging wherein manufacturers highlight the content of their products explicitly, making it easier for the consumer to notice.
CERS has recommended that Advertising Standards Council of India [ASCI] implement stricter conditions forcing manufacturers to refrain from making false claims to innocent consumers
CERS had sent out the results of each brand to its respective manufacturer seeking clarification about the alarming results. However, none of the manufacturers responded to the queries raised by CERS.
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