Headlines
More tests on Maggi, wrong ads can penalise brand endorsers: Government
New Delhi, June 1
The food safety watchdog has
taken more samples of Maggi noodles across India for testing after
certain harmful substances were allegedly found in a batch in quantities
higher-than-permissible-limits, the government said on Monday warning
that violation of standards will make even brand ambassadors liable.
"FSSAI
(Food Safety Standards Authority of India) has taken up the case. It
will take action. We have already written to the FSSAI," Food and
Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said at a press conference
here on Monday.
He did not elaborate.
Clarifying the
matter, Consumer Affairs Additional Secretary G. Gurucharan said the
food safety authority had taken some samples across India for testing.
This was after allegations were made over "dangerous levels" of some
substances in the popular snack Maggi noodles in Uttar Pradesh.
"Some
reports are expected today and within two-three days we will get
complete reports. All parameters are being tested," Gurucharan said,
adding: "If there is any violation, FSSAI will take action."
Asked
for his comments over Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit being served
notice by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Uttarakhand for
endorsing Maggi noodles, Gurucharan said the brand ambassadors will also
be liable if advertisements were found to be misleading.
Uttar
Pradesh Deputy Food Safety Commissioner Vijay Bahadur had said on May 21
that orders had been issued to Nestle to "look into the quality" of
batches of Maggi noodles after some samples were reportedly found to
contain higher-than-permissible levels of lead and monosodium glutamate.
The
samples, authorities in Lucknow said, were taken from a lot in Easy Day
departmental store at Barabanki, a district adjoining the state
capital, in the second week of May. But Nestle said it was confident
over these packs being no longer in circulation in the market.
"The company does not agree with the order and is filing the requisite representations with the authorities," Nestle said.
The
company also sought to dispel rumours that orders had been issued to
recall all batches of Maggi noodles. In an e-mail statement to IANS, it
said the batch in question had already passed the "best before" date in
November last year, and was sure that it had automatically been
recalled.