The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an advisory on Monday regarding enforcement of provisions of the FSS Act for noodles, pastas and macaroni with tastemaker of all makes and brands present in the market. It has asked state food regulators to draw samples of such products and test for their safety under set parameters stating that they fall under Section 22 of FSS Act, 2006 and they are non-standardised food products.
The advisory has also asked state food safety commissioners to complete this task on priority and send a report in this regard to FSSAI by June 19, 2015.
The advisory signed by FSSAI chief executive officer Y S Malik states – “Various test results on Maggi and some other similar products have raised serious health concerns. In view of the same, it would be advisable to draw regulatory samples for similar products for which product approvals have been granted by the FSSAI. These samples should be sent to the authorised labs (list is available on FSSAI website) for testing as per the testing parameters.”
The advisory termed the safety of all other such products as “not assessed as per product approval procedures” and therefore these products were unauthorised and illegal and could not be intended for human consumption.
The advisory further urged the food regulatory authority in states to 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. “You are advised to ensure that such products are recalled, removed from the market and destroyed,” says the advisory.
Meanwhile, talking to FnB News, Y S Malik, CEO, FSSAI, said, “All such products which are present in the market without any product approval are illegal and should be confiscated and destroyed immediately.”
FSSAI has issued conditional permissions and approvals in respect of food products. Manufacturing FBOs include
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Sr. No. |
Company Name |
Product Name |
NOC
|
PA
|
Issued on (dd/ mm/ yy)
|
|||
|
1
|
Ruchi International
|
Koka Instant Noodles
|
NOC
|
|
06.08.2012
|
|||
|
2
|
C G Foods India Pvt Ltd
|
1. Wai Wai 123 Chicken Noodles, 2. Wai Wai Mama Punte Chicken Bhujiya (Wai Wai Triangle Bhujiya Chicken Snacks, 3. Wai Wai 123 Veg Noodles
|
|
PA
|
11.12.2013
|
|||
|
3
|
GlaxosmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd
|
1. Foodles Crazy Curry 2. Foodles Mast Masala, 3. Foodles-Spicy Treat, 4. Foodles-Tomatter Flavour, 5. Foodles 4 Grain-Curry in a Hurry, 6. Foodles 4 Grain- Slice of Spice, 7. Foodles 4 Grain Ala Masala, 8. Foodles 4 Grain- Carrot and Spinach Noodles, 9. Foodles 4 Grain- Carrot Noodle, 10. Foodles 4 Grain-Tomatter Flavour (instant noodles with seasoning powder)
|
|
PA
|
27.05.2013
|
|||
|
4
|
Nestle India Ltd
|
Maggi Nuti-licious Pazzta with Tastemaker: (4 variants viz.) 1. Tomato Twist Pazzta, 2. Cheese Macaroni Pazzta, 3. Masala Penne Pazzta, 4. Mushroom Penne Pazzta)
|
|
PA
|
15.10.2013
|
|||
|
5
|
AA Nutrition Ltd
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1. Yummy Chicken (instant) Noodles/ Bits, 2. Yummy Veg Noodles/ Bits
|
|
PA
|
29.07.2013
|
|||
|
6
|
Indo Nissin Food Ltd
|
1. Top Ramen Atta Masala
|
|
PA
|
19.11.2014
|
|||
|
7
|
ITC Limited
|
1. Instant Noodles and Magic Masala, 2. Instant Noodles and Classic Masala, 3. Instant Noodles and Chinese Masala
|
PNOC
|
|
08.02.2013
|
|||
|
8
|
Nestle India Limited
|
Instant Noodles with Taste Maker (09 variants) 1. Maggi Xtra Delicious Chicken Noodles
|
|
PA
|
04.07.2013
|
|||
|
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2. Maggi Thrillin Curry 3. Maggi Cuppa Mania Chilli Chow Masala YO 4. Maggi Cuppa Mania Masala YO 5. Magi 2-Minute Masala Noodle/ Maggi Hungarooo 6. Maggi Vegetable Multigrainz Noodles 7. Maggi Vegetable Atta Noodles 8. Maggi Xtra Delicious Magical Masala Noodles 9. Magi 2-minute Masala Dumdaar Noodle
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Parameters to be adopted for testing the noodles, pastas, macaroni etc.
|
|||
|
Sr. No.
|
Parameters
|
Limits as per FSS Regulations
|
Test Results
|
|
A
|
General Parameters
|
|
|
|
1
|
Physical examination for moulds, living and dead insects, insect fragments and rodent contamination (hair, excreta) and fungus visible to the naked eye
|
Absent
|
|
|
2
|
Rancidity and musty odour
|
Absent
|
|
|
3
|
Test for added Natural colours (Curcumin, Riboflavin, Chlorophyll, Beta carotene, Carotene (Natural extract), Annatto extract (Bixin), Beta apo-8 carotenal, Methyl ester of Beta apo-8 carotenoic acid, Canthaxanthin, Caramel colours (Plain), Caramel colours (Ammonium Sulphite process)
|
Absent
|
|
|
4
|
Test for synthetic colours (Ponceau 4R, Carmoisine, Erythrosine, Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow FCF, Indigo carmine, Brilliant blue FCF, Fast green FCF )
|
Absent
|
|
|
5
|
Test for preservatives (Benzoic acid and its salts, Sorbic acid and its salts, Sulphur di oxide)
|
Absent
|
|
|
6
|
Test for antioxidants (BHA and TBHQ)
|
Absent
|
|
|
B.
|
Quality Parameters
|
|
|
|
1
|
Moisture
|
Not more than 12.5%
|
|
|
2
|
Total ash excluding salt
|
Not more than 1.0 % (on dry weight basis)
|
|
|
3
|
Ash insoluble in dilute HCl
|
Not more than 0.1 % (on dry weight basis)
|
|
|
4
|
Nitrogen
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Not less than 1.7 % on dry basis
|
|
|
C.
|
Metal Contaminants
|
|
|
|
1
|
Lead
|
2.5 mg/kg
|
|
|
2
|
Copper
|
3.0 mg/kg
|
|
|
3
|
Arsenic
|
1.1 mg/kg
|
|
|
4
|
Mercury
|
1.0 mg/kg
|
|
|
5
|
Tin
|
250 mg/kg
|
|
|
6
|
Cadmium
|
1.5 mg/kg
|
|
|
7
|
Zinc
|
50 mg/kg
|
|
|
D.
|
Naturally occurring Toxic Substances
|
|
|
|
1
|
Aflatoxin
|
30 µg/kg
|
|
|
2
|
Agaric acid
|
100 mg/kg
|
|
|
3
|
Hydrocyanic acid
|
5 mg/kg
|
|
|
4
|
Hypericine
|
1 mg/kg
|
|
Note: The samples should be tested separately for the Cake and the Masala/Tastemaker/Tastemaker.
