The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) on Wednesday maintained that the Mysuru Central Food Technological Research Institute’s (CFTRI) report declaring Maggi noodles samples picked from Goa ‘as safe to eat’ has no bearing on its order for recalling all available stocks of the food products from the market across the country.
On June 5, FSSAI had ordered Nestlé India to recall all available stocks of Maggi noodles after finding harmful levels of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) in tested samples.
A statement issued by the FSSAI said that the “test results of Goa samples had no bearing on the order dated June 5 as the samples tested with respect to Goa were not assumed to be unsafe while passing the recall order by the Authority.”
The matter is now sub-judice with Bombay High Court hearing the case.
The FSSAI also alleged that the Nestlé India has till date not shared the details of test reports of UK and Singapore, where the Maggi noodles have reportedly found to be safe. The Authority’s statement pointed out that all the Maggi noodles for exports to eight countries were manufactured only at the Bicholim factory in Goa. The other manufacturing units are at Mysore, Moga, Una, Rudrapur and one co-packer facility at Howrah in West Bengal.
FSSAI said the samples tested by labs at Goa and subsequently Mysore were primarily drawn from Nestlé Bicholim factory in Goa, indicating that high food standards were being maintained for export purpose.
“Part of the local domestic supplies including four out of five samples tested at the CFTRI were also from the products manufactured at the Bicholim factory,” it added.