Posted by: _____ June 2, 2015
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High lead levels found, Delhi may ban Maggi
Maggi noodles is in trouble in Delhi amid indications that the state government may move to baNEW DELHI: Maggi noodles is in trouble in Delhi amid indications that the state government may move to ban it. A Delhi government spokesman said 10 out of 13 samples tested for lead content in the popular food item were found to have amounts higher than permissible limits. Several other states were also testing the product, if Maggi fails these tests, the travails of Nestle, which manufactures the popular noodle, could deepen.
"This falls under the category of misbranding," Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said. He added the government has decided to file a case against Nestle for selling unsafe product and fine it for misbranding Maggi noodles. Sources said Nestle officials will be summoned by the Delhi Government for explanation. When TOI tried to contact Nestle officials, their phones went unanswered.
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Maggi, the two-minute gastronomical delight of children, flew off the shelves for the wrong reason on Tuesday. State governments from Delhi to Kerala, and from Tamil Nadu to Haryana, Maharashtra and West Bengal, deployed officials to randomly collect Maggi samples of different batches and dates for testing the safety of its content
Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said, "Last week, we lifted 13 samples of Maggi for testing following media reports of these being unsafe for consumption. We found the masala samples, tastemakers of at least 10 such packets, had lead content beyond the prescribed limit of 2.50pm." Jain also said five samples of masala were found containing monosodium glutamate (MSG) without proper label declaration.
A senior Delhi health official said all existing stocks of Maggi will have to be removed from the market immediately since 80% of samples tested were found to be unfit for human consumption.
The Kerala government pulled out Maggi from its 1,700 Supplyco outlets. Saying the government is yet to ban it, food and civil supplies minister Anoop Jacob said, "We've decided to withdraw the product from our outlets. Random samples of Maggi have been sent for testing by the civil supplies department."