The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Friday certified Maggi noodles as “unsafe and hazardous” for consumption and ordered recall of all its variants from stores across the country within three days.
Nestle India, makers of Maggi Noodles, perhaps had an inkling of the FSSAI order and decided to take the product “off the shelves temporarily” late on Thursday night.
FSSAI chairman Y S Malik on Friday sought Nestle’s response to laboratory tests which found presence of lead beyond permissible limits, misleading labels and release of “Oats Masala” variant without approval.
The food safety regulator rejected the explanations given by Nestle. It also sought a reply within 15 days as to why the product approvals granted for all the noodle variants should not be withdrawn.
The regulator also held Nestle guilty of releasing “Maggi Oats Masala Noodles” into the market without undertaking risk and safety assessment of the product. The FSSAI said the move was “illegal” and a serious violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Addressing a packed press conference here, Nestle’s global chief executive officer (CEO) Paul Bulcke said the FSSAI had not formally shared the results and that they need to sit with the regulator and clarify the issue. Bulcke, however, said that Nestle will not challenge the government’s food testing methods.
The CEO, who flew in from Switzerland, blamed “unfounded reasons” for the “confusion” over the safety of the popular snack. He admitted that the controversy had “shaken the trust of the consumers” but was confident of being able to “re-establish that trust”.
He said the company is cooperating with authorities by sharing test methodologies to find how lead was found beyond permissible limits.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda said there will be no compromise on food safety.
In the midst of the raging controversy, Nestle got some relief and words of support from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “No objectionable material was found in Maggi in West Bengal after lab tests were conducted and hence no action was taken,” Mamata said in Kolkata.
The Maharashtra government has also banned Maggi. Paul Bulcke, Nestle CEO: Maggi noodles is completely safe and has passed every independent test by the company
