K'taka not under our ambit: CFTRI on Maggi sample refusal

 A day after a Mysuru-based Central food research institute refused to accept samples of Maggi noodles sent by Karnataka government for testing, the organisation today said that the state does not fall under its jurisdiction and they should be sent to Kolkata.

Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, in a statement said as per the notification by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka falls under Central Food Laboratory in Kolkata.

"The jurisdiction of the referral laboratory as per the gazette notification by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (FSSAI) dated December 2, 2014, the samples drawn from the state of Karnataka falls under the jurisdiction of Central Food Laboratory, Kolkata.

"The state of Karnataka falls under the jurisdiction of Central Food Laboratory, Kolkata. As per the notification, Referral Food Laboratory, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru, jurisdiction will be for the states of Bihar, Goa, Delhi, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Union Territories of Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Puducherry," the institute said.
"The rule is framed to ensure that the primary laboratory analysis data can be reanalysed in the appellate laboratory if the need thus arises and this procedure is defined to avoid bias in the final decision and to maintain confidentiality," CFTRI added.

Yesterday, Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader said samples of Maggi had been sent to central government's CFTR in Mysuru, but it refused to receive the samples saying it was a legal matter.

"Shockingly, CFTRI has refused to receive the samples stating it is a legal case," Khader had said yesterday, adding that he would write to Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan and Health Minister J P Nadda, on this.

"...if this sort of response is given by a central agency it is not good for the system," Khader said. He however had added that "if they (central government) ask us to refer the samples to some other agencies, we are ready for it".