The Supreme Court on Wednesday set an eight-week deadline for the Government lab in Mysore to complete all tests on Maggi noodles and submit report on the possible presence of lead and glutamic acid in the test samples by April 5.
The direction came after the court received two communications from the Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore giving status of the tests conducted so far. Seeking a detailed report on two counts, the Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and NV Ramana directed the lab to produce results on the possible presence of lead and glutamic acid and whether it was within permissible limits under the Food Safety Act.
The decision to have the samples tested at Mysore lab was passed by court on December 16 last with the joint consent of both the Centre and Nestle India, the manufacturer of Maggi noodles. Though the company claimed that lead content in Maggi is within permissible limits, the Centre insisted on comprehensive testing of the product after samples of the same were found to contain excess lead in some States.
The Bench said, “We have perused the test reports. We would like Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore to apprise this court on two aspects, whether the test report relating to lead and glutamic acid are within the permissible parameters and to clarify that those are within parameters prescribed under the Food Safety Act.”
The samples had to be tested after Centre filed a Rs640-crore suit against Nestle India for unfair trade practices before the National Consumer Commission. On the commission’s order, samples of noodles were sent to Chennai lab to ascertain presence of lead and mono sodium glutamate (MSG).
Nestle approached apex court against the December 10 order of Commission and got stay of proceedings.