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| FSSAI orders testing of GSK, ITC, other Noodle brands | | | Agencies
NEW DELHI, June 8: After Maggi, quality testing was ordered today for noodles, pasta and macaroni brands of seven companies including Nestle, ITC and GlaxoSmithkline across the country to check for health hazards.
Listing out the total 32 such brands including Maggi, Top Ramen, Wai Wai, Yummy and Foodles, the central food safety regulator FSSAI also ordered immediate recall of all other such instant food products which did not have any product approval and were being sold in the market in an "unauthorised and illegal" manner.
In its order for quality testing by all states and union territories, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said that "various test results on Maggi and some other similar products have raised serious health concerns" and therefore it was necessary to test other similar products.
"In view of the same, it would be advisable to draw regulatory samples for similar products for which product approvals have been granted by FSSAI," it said, while asking the samples to be sent to the authorised labs for testing.
"The safety of all other such products in these categories has not been assessed as per the Product Approval procedures. As such, the same are unauthorised and illegal and cannot be intended for human consumption," the regulator said.
"...You are advised to ensure that such products are recalled, removed from the market and destroyed," FSSAI CEO YS Malik said in a circular to the Commissioners of Food Safety of all States and UTs.
In the circular, the FSSAI has also listed out the detailed parameters on which such tests would need to be conducted for noodles, pastas and macaroni with tastemaker of all makes and brands present in the market.
Cakes and masala or tastemaker would need to be tested separately, while all states and Union Territories have been asked to submit their reports by June 19, Malik said.
The circular follows FSSAI order on Friday for recall of all variants of Nestle India's Maggi noodles terming them as "unsafe and hazardous" for human consumption.
Nestle India recalled Maggi from the markets after several states banned the famous '2-minute' instant food brand as tests showed that it contained taste enhancer MSG (Monosodium glutamate) and lead in excess of the permissible limits. The companies whose products have been listed for testing are Nestle India, ITC, Indo Nissin Food Ltd, GSK Consumer Healthcare, CG Foods India, Ruchi International and AA Nutrition Ltd.
The products to be tested include Wai Wai noodles and bhujiya chicken snacks by CG Foods; Koka instant noodles from Ruchi International and Foodles by GSK Consumer Healthcare.
Nestle's Maggi instant noodles with nine variants as well as four variants of "Maggi Nutilicious Pazzta with tastemakers" would also be tested.
Others in the list are Indo Nissin's Top Ramen Atta Masala, ITC's three variants of instant noodles and AA Nutrition's Yummy chicken noodles and Yummy veg noodles.
When contacted, ITC spokesperson said: "Stringent tests are conducted for the company's food products at ITC's NABL accredited Life Sciences & Technology Centre as well as at FSSAI approved, NABL accredited external laboratories."
In all these tests, the company's food products have consistently been found to be "completely safe" for consumption and in compliance with statutory regulations, the spokesperson added.
GSK Consumer Healthcare India Spokesperson said the company was "in complete compliance with the law" and follows Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for all manufacturing process.
CG Foods CEO GP Sah said: "Our brands meets all regulatory standards as listed by FSSAI. We are not closed to any tests and will cooperate with authorities if required."
Comments from other companies could not be obtained immediately.
The regulator asked all States and UTs to "draw samples of the food products and take action as per provisions of FSS Act and other applicable laws (including IPC) qua the food items not found conforming to the applicable standards."
Besides general parameters like test for preservatives and synthetic colours, the food regulator has asked all the state food safety commissioners to test for metal contaminants including lead, copper, arsenic and cadmium.
Tests for certain quality parameters and naturally occurring toxic substances would also be conducted by the States/UTs. |
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