After samples of “Maggi” noodles manufactured in March 2014 were reportedly found to contain high lead content and Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), orders have been issued by the State Food Safety and Drug Administration Department for taking “surveillance” samples of the product of recent make.
The Uttar Pradesh Additional Commissioner (Food Safety), Ram Araj Maurya said the “surveillance” samples were picked up from different places in the State on May 12. “It takes 14 days for finalising the report of the tests conducted on the food samples,” Mr. Maurya told The Hindu . Confirming that the tests conducted on the March 2014 batch samples found them to be unsafe, Mr. Maurya said orders have been issued to recall ‘Maggi’ packs of that date.
The March 2014 samples were picked up from a store (Easy Day) in Barabanki on a complaint which was not specified by the Food Safety Department. Tests conducted by the State Food Laboratory showed lead content beyond the permissible limit. “The noodles contained lead beyond the permissible limit of 0.01ppm. The report was sent to the Central Food Laboratory in Kolkata, which confirmed the findings,” said another official on condition of anonymity.
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Subsequently, the licence of the shop operator was suspended on April 24, 2015. The official said licence can be cancelled in the interest of public health. The operator filed an appeal with the Commissioner (Food Safety) and the order was stayed on April 30 on the plea that he is not the manufacturer of the product. The store reopened on May 1.